


Dear Keith

by Redjay27



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (because it was started before season 4), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Artist Keith, Drawings, Flashbacks, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Letters, M/M, Multi POV, Slow Burn, Swearing, hopefully somewhat funny, ooc Matt, some langst I guess?, weird timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2018-12-09 16:35:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 71,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11672949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redjay27/pseuds/Redjay27
Summary: Keith receives a mysterious note in the mail. There's nothing written on the envelope but his name. When he reads it he learns of some guy named Lance who is writing to Keith to tell him the story of how he messed everything up.Lance is distraught after he is left all alone after his big screw up. To ease the pain, he writes a letter to a made up person...or so he thought. Keith was just a name he picked randomly but when mysterious drawings start appearing in his dorm room, depicting scenes that he's written about, he starts to think Keith might not be just a figment of his imagination.





	1. Mysterious Beginnings

_Dear Keith,_

_Where to start? I guess I’ll just try to explain as best I can. To put it simply, you don’t know me. We’ve never met and that’s a good thing. Actually, you don’t even exist. You’re just a name that popped into my head. In truth, I just needed someone to talk to. Someone who wasn’t going to judge me. I got into some trouble recently and I’m not really sure how to fix it._

_But I’m getting ahead of myself. I need to start at the beginning so you understand. Don’t let me fool you, though. This mess is all my fault. At first it was just something to solve a minor problem but it quickly got out of hand. Before I knew it things had spiraled out of my control._

_Maybe I’m hoping that by writing everything out I’ll think of a way to turn things around. Maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel less guilty. I don’t know…_

_Okay, no more stalling. Here’s how it started. It was the beginning of the fall semester at the university I go to…_

 

\-----

 

“Lance? Lance! Lance wake up!”

 

Lance stirred and pulled the covers over his head, not ready to face the day yet. He was warm and getting up meant being cold. Lance was not okay with that.

 

“Lance, if you don’t get up now you won’t have enough time to get ready.”

 

Lance shot up. “What time is it?”

 

He heard Hunk sigh from across the room. “Six thirty.”

 

“What?” Lance threw the covers off and rushed to the bathroom connected to their dorm room, yelling at Hunk as he went. “I told you to wake me up at six!”

 

“I did.” Came Hunk’s reply. He sounded unconcerned, having dealt with Lance all of last year. “You opened your eyes, flipped me off, and then went back to sleep.”

 

“Impossible! It’s too important a day for me to do that!” Lance yelled at Hunk  from the bathroom. He was in the process of hastily going through his morning skincare routine.

 

“I knew you’d say that so I recorded it for proof. This isn’t my first rodeo, Lance.” Hunk replied. “I don’t really understand why you’re so worked up. It’s just the first day of classes.”

 

“Exactly!” Lance said, popping his head out of the bathroom, pointing his toothbrush at Hunk. “You know what they say about first impressions.”

 

Hunk sighed and Lance ducked back into the bathroom. “Alright, man. Whatever works for you.”

 

Lance was like a tornado through his and Hunk’s small dorm room as he got ready. When seven thirty rolled around he and Hunk left the dorm. Lance was confident that he looked perfect. He was positive he was going to be the best looking guy in all of his classes today. Just the way he liked it.

 

Pidge was waiting for them outside their dorm building looking like they hadn’t slept a wink last night.

 

“You look like shit.” Lance said casually.

 

“I’m sorry, Lance.” Pidge said looking down at their clothes. “I didn’t mean to match you today.”

 

“Oh! Good one, Pidge!” Hunk said, holding out his fist towards Pidge. Pidge bumped it with their own, a victorious smile on their face.

 

“Ha. Ha.” Lance said sarcastically. “Shouldn’t we be getting to class?” He didn’t wait for their answer but turned and started walking towards their first class of the day.

 

“Whose idea was it to take a class that started at eight in the fucking morning?” Pidge asked, a few steps behind Lance.

 

“Lance’s.” Hunk said bluntly, completely throwing Lance under the bus.

 

“Lance!” Pidge yelled.

 

“Hey, it was the only available time!” Lance said defensively. “And it’s a required course.”

 

“Yeah, I’m still going to blame you.” Pidge said plainly and then yawned.

 

Lance shrugged. “It’s not like that’s going to change the fact you still have to go to it.”

 

“Still makes me feel better though.” Pidge replied smoothly.

 

Lance and Pidge’s banter continued back and forth with Hunk occasionally chiming in all the way to their first class. It was some sort of writing class. Lance didn’t really care for writing too much; he’d never been very good at it. But if he was taking it with Pidge and Hunk then he was sure that he’d find it an entertaining class.

 

As the trio took their seats in the back of the classroom, Lance noticed that the other students sitting in the room looked as tired as Pidge did. Lance smirked to himself as he realized that yet again he blew every other guy out of the water. Mission accomplished.

 

“Did you ever finish that project?” Lance heard Hunk ask Pidge.

 

“Not yet.” Pidge replied. “I’ve hit a rough patch with it. It’s become more of a headache then something I actually want to work on.”

 

“Project?” Lance asked. “What project?”

 

“Pidge is trying to develop an AI.” Hunk answered.

 

“A VI.” Pidge corrected. “I think an AI is a little above my skill level right now.”

 

“A VI?” Lance asked.

 

“Virtual Intelligence.” Pidge explained. “It’s not quite as sophisticated as an AI. It can’t reason and adapt to its surroundings like an AI would.”

 

“Then what's it good for?” Lance asked.

 

“Mostly just to process data and provide information about something.” Hunk said.

 

“Which would be useful to me if I could get it to do either of those things.” Pidge said irritably.

 

Lance was going to ask another question but the professor called the class to attention and started passing out the syllabus.

 

\-----

 

_...as you can see it started out just like any other school year. Everything was normal. Pidge was working on a weird science project, Hunk was being the supportive friend, and I? Well, I was just trying to be the brightest one in the room._

_I had been so sure that it was going to be a normal school year. I was so wrong._ _-Lance_

 

\-----

 

Keith finished reading the strange letter and didn’t know what to think. Who was Lance? Pidge? Hunk? What did he mean that Keith didn’t exist?

 

Keith grabbed the envelope the letter had come in. It had come with no return address. In fact, there was no address at all. The only thing written on it was “ _Keith_ ”. There wasn’t even a stamp. Was Shiro pranking him? That didn’t sound like Shiro.

 

Speaking of Shiro Keith heard the door to his apartment open. “Keith?”

 

Keith shoved the letter under the pillow on his bed. He’d figure it out later. He left his room and went to meet Shiro.

 

Shiro was standing in the front room of the apartment they shared. “What’s up?” Keith asked him.

 

“If you don’t leave soon you’re going to be late.” Shiro said, giving him a stern look.

 

“It’s been two months since school started.” Keith pointed out. “When are you going to trust me to get to class on time?”

 

“When you leave this apartment on time.” Shiro replied.

 

“Okay, Dad, I’m leaving.” Keith said, rolling his eyes and grabbing his keys, backpack, and helmet before heading for the door.

 

“I’m not your dad.” Shiro called after him.

 

“Could’ve fooled me!” Keith called back before closing the door. He was going to hear about that one later. In truth, Shiro was Keith’s adoptive brother. Keith had been adopted by Shiro’s family about ten years ago. Keith immediately grew attached to Shiro, having found the older brother he had always wanted. When Keith had decided to attend university, Shiro had decided to move with Keith, claiming that he had to keep an eye on him. Keith suspected that the real reason was so Shiro could live closer to his girlfriend, but he’d never tell Shiro that.

 

Keith made his way out to the parking lot behind their apartment building, heading to his bike that Shiro had bought him when they first moved in. As Keith approached his bike he donned his helmet, feeling the adrenaline start to pump through his veins. The ten minute ride to and from the university was Keith’s favorite part of the day. He swung his leg over the bike and kicked the engine to life. Keith smiled to himself as he sped off towards the university.

 

As always he arrived at the university too quickly and parked his bike, hanging his helmet off of one of the handlebars. He shook his head a little and ran his fingers through his hair a few times, trying to unmat it. Then he sighed and headed towards his first class.

 

Keith was an art major and his first class of the day was art history. It wasn’t his favorite class so he usually just spent most of it sketching in the sketchbook he took everywhere with him. Today was different though. He felt off as he headed to his first class. His mind kept going back to that bizarre letter he had received.

 

If he was honest, he was a little weirded out by it. Who was this Lance that was writing him? He’d never met anyone named Lance. He was also curious to see what this Lance did that was so terrible. It had sounded bad.

 

Keith arrived at his class and took his usual seat in the back. He set his bag down next to him and unzipped it to retrieve his sketchbook and pencil case. He flipped the book open and grabbed a pencil from his case.

 

The letter still on his mind, he decided to draw a scene from it. He didn’t actually know what they looked like so he just made it up as he went. He drew a large guy with longer hair and some sort of cloth tied around his forehead. Keith decided this was Hunk, it just had to be. Walking next to Hunk was a smaller figure with wild hair and glasses. He made sure to give it bags under its eyes. This was Pidge Keith figured. Walking a little in front of Hunk and Pidge he drew a tall, slender figure. He gave the figure short hair and a smug look on its face. This was without a doubt Lance. Keith had a feeling that if he and Lance met in real life they wouldn’t get along very well. He quickly added a background, mirroring the scenery off his own university. In the corner of the paper he quickly put his signature like he always did.

 

Satisfied with sketch Keith went fishing in his pencil case for the colors that would fit their personalities. Yellow for Hunk, green for Pidge, and blue for Lance. Ignoring the professor that had started class, Keith colored in the sketch from that weird letter he had gotten earlier that morning.

 

\-----

 

Lance returned to his empty dorm, feeling more lost than he’d ever had before. Writing that letter had made him feel better for a little bit but now he just felt tired and lonely. Lance threw his bag on his bed, expecting to hear the sound of fabric on fabric. What he got instead was the sound of paper crunching.

 

Confused, Lance went to pick his bag back up. When he did he found a piece of sketchbook paper, slightly crinkled from where Lance’s bag had landed on it. Lance picked it up and flipped it over and his eyes immediately went wide.

 

He stared in partial horror and partial wonder at the picture drawn out. It was Hunk, Pidge, and himself on their way to class. Lance had described this moment earlier today when he had written that letter.

 

Sketch still in hand Lance went to his desk drawer and pulled it open. He grabbed the envelope with “ _Keith_ ” written on it from where he had placed it that morning and examined it. It was still sealed and it felt like the letter was still inside.

 

Lance didn’t understand. Who had drawn this? Lance looked back at the sketch and something in the corner caught his eyes. In small but neat letters was a name:

 

_Keith K._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and plan to stick around. There are a couple things you should know going in:  
> 1) I'm not sure how long this fic will be but I'll let you know as soon as I do.  
> 2) The timeline is pretty weird in this so to make it easier I'm going to put all the flashbacks in Lance's letters themselves. Exactly like I did in this first chapter. Hopefully that'll make things less confusing. If it's still confusing, let me know and I'll add breaks or whatever to make it more obvious.  
> 3) I plan on posting pretty frequently. I do, however, start school in a couple of weeks so the posting might slow down. 
> 
> If you have any questions or simply just want to scream at me about Voltron feel free to message me on tumblr @canyoufeelthelangsttonight or @onlycrapbeyondthispoint  
> Any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated. It not only is motivating, but it also lets me know that I'm doing a good job storytelling.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	2. Unknown Persons

Lance didn’t know what think. Was he being pranked? He stared at the name on the drawing. It just wasn’t possible. Lance pinched himself in the arm, trying to wake himself up from the dream he had no doubt fallen into. All he got was a dull ache in his arm.

 

He set the drawing down on his desk and sat down. He had to figure out what was going on. He pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and started writing.

 

_Dear Keith,_

_Days passed and nothing happened. Well, that’s not entirely true. Things happened but they aren’t really worth mentioning. I went to my classes, met my professors, made fun of Pidge, hung out with Hunk, blah blah blah. It wasn’t until a week after the first day of classes that something changed._

_Pidge, Hunk, and I were sitting in that writing class I mentioned. We had all discovered that we hated it. The professor had this unbearable monotone voice and staying awake was an uphill battle. I didn’t think the class could get any worse. Well, life was about to prove me wrong…_

 

\-----

 

“Ten bucks says you won’t be able to stay awake through the whole class.” Pidge said from their seat next to Lance.

 

“You’re on!” Lance said holding his hand out to Pidge.

 

“Easiest ten bucks I’ve ever made.” Pidge said, taking Lance’s hand and shaking it.

 

“I haven’t even fallen asleep yet.” Lance pointed out.

 

“The keyword there is “yet”.” Pidge said with a smirk.

 

Lance had to admit he was pretty tired. He’d been up late last night with Hunk playing video games. But he couldn’t let Pidge win. His pride was at stake, dammit!

 

He was about to tell Pidge exactly that but something else caught his attention. He saw someone walk into the room. Someone who he hadn’t seen before. He was a student, that much Lance was sure of. He was taller than Lance, and he had long snow white hair. Lance had to admit...he was fucking beautiful.

 

“Oh my god…” Lance muttered. Pidge and Hunk leaned over to see past Lance.

 

“Who’s that?” Pidge asked.

 

“No idea.” Hunk replied. “I’ve certainly never seen him around campus before.”

 

“I think Lance has left this plane of existence.” Pidge said, waving their hand in front of Lance’s face.

 

Lance couldn’t take his eyes off of the stranger. He was infatuated and slightly jealous. This guy was ten times better looking than Lance could ever hope to be. He had to talk to this guy. He _had_ to. But...what could he possibly say to a guy like that? He didn’t know.

 

“Lance!” He heard Pidge say directly in his ear. Lance jumped, snapping out of his trance and tearing his eyes away from the stranger.

 

“What the hell, Pidge?”

 

Pidge shrugged. “It was the only way to get your attention. So, are you going to talk to him?”

 

“Me? Talk to him? I can’t do that! What would I even say?” Lance asked, feeling a little frantic.

 

“Lance, you flirt with literally everyone and their mothers. What’s so hard about talking to this guy?” Pidge asked.

 

“Are we looking at the same person?” Lance replied. “He’s gorgeous. I would die if he talked to me.”

 

“Well you better get your affairs in order.” Hunk said. “He’s headed this way right now.”

 

“What?!” Lance whispered, feeling himself freeze up.

 

“He’s probably going to sit next to you.” Pidge pointed out casually.

 

“Help me.” Lance said desperately.

 

Lance heard someone sit in the seat next to him. Lance’s shoulders tensed up. He slowly turned so he was facing the front of the classroom and glanced at the stranger out of the corner of his eye. He wasn’t looking at Lance but looking towards the front of the lecture hall.

 

“Introduce yourself.” Pidge whispered in his hear. “Where’s your Lance McClain charm?”

 

Lance swallowed hard, trying to remember how to form words. He could do this, right? No, he could. He was Lance McClain after all! He could do anything!

 

With fake confidence he turned towards the stranger. “Hey, my name’s-”

 

“Don’t care.” The stranger said, his voice sounding annoyed.

 

“Oh shit!” Pidge said, sounding both amused and surprised.

 

Lance went from nervous to furious in a second. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Lance asked, feeling his blood start to boil.

 

The stranger still wasn’t looking at him and seemed entirely uninterested in what was going on. He sighed and said, “I don’t care who you are. You have the face of someone who’s easily forgotten. Like an extra in a movie or, say, an ant.”

 

Lance was fuming. Who did this guy think he was? Thinking he was above Lance? Lance wasn’t going to take this sitting down. And he meant that quite literally. Lance stood up from his chair, planning on giving the stranger a piece of his mind. Just as he opened his mouth he felt strong arms grab him.

 

“Not here, Lance.” Hunk said calmly, dragging Lance away from the stranger and out of the classroom. At first Lance struggled against Hunk but eventually he gave in, leaving the room. That didn’t mean he still wasn’t angry though.

 

“What the fuck was that guy’s problem?” Lance said after Hunk let him go once they were outside and far away from the building their class was in.

 

“I don’t know.” Pidge said, having followed him and Hunk. “He seems a little stuck up.”

 

“A little?!” Lance was pacing back and forth, trying unsuccessfully to calm himself down. “The next time I see him I’m gonna...I’m gonna…”

 

“What, Lance? What are you gonna do?” Hunk asked.

 

“I don’t know!” Lance yelled pulling his hair in exasperation. “But it’s gonna be painful for him!”

 

“Sure, Lance.” Pidge said with a laugh. “Whatever you a say.”

 

\-----

 

_…Pidge and Hunk didn’t take me seriously but I meant what I said. I’d never met someone as insufferable as him and I vowed to take him down a peg._

_It’s also probably worth mentioning that at this time I had no idea how I was going to get revenge but my pride had been hurt and I needed blood. Okay, not actual blood. I’m not a psychopath...I swear._

_Maybe you understand my need for revenge, maybe not. Either way, I knew that in order to even begin forming a plan I needed to know his name. That was easier said than done. -Lance_

 

\-----

 

Keith folded the letter back up and put it back in the envelope. He had to admit that Lance’s anger seemed justified. He would probably have reacted in the same way, although he wouldn’t have let Hunk drag him away like that. Keith wondered briefly who that stranger was and what role he played in the rest of Lance’s story.

 

Keith still wasn’t sure where the letters were coming from or why they were coming at all. It seemed to him that whoever this Lance was truly believed he was writing to nobody. He wished Lance would mention something in his letters that would give Keith a hint as to where Lance attended university. Then maybe he could find Lance and figure out what was going on, but Keith doubted it would be that easy.

 

Keith stood up from where he had been sitting on his bed and grabbed his sketchbook from his bag. He couldn’t explain the overwhelming urge to sketch that had come from nowhere but he had nothing else to do so why not indulge?

 

He laid on his stomach on the floor of his bedroom, propped up on his elbows. He had already picked which scene he was going to draw. He drew Hunk, Pidge, and Lance all sitting in the back of a lecture hall. Hunk had an easy, leisurely look on his face, like he was was happy to see Lance so speechless. Pidge had a devious look on their face, like they couldn’t wait to see Lance crash and burn with this stranger. He drew Lance completely awestruck by the stranger. He did his best to make his eyes look wide and his mouth slightly open, like Lance was finding it hard to breath. Some distance away he drew the tall stranger standing in the entrance to the lecture hall. He tried to make the stranger look as close to Lance’s description as possible, making all of his features smooth and symmetrical. The face of beauty.

 

When he finished he quickly signed the bottom corner and rolled over, holding the book at a distance. It wasn’t half bad. He’d definitely done worse before. Keith flipped the pages of his sketchbook until he found the one that he had drawn for the previous letter. The letter was still tucked under his pillow where he had left it earlier that morning. An idea popped into Keith’s head.

 

He tossed the sketchbook aside and stood up. On the wall across from Keith’s bed he had a bulletin board. At the moment the board was filled with some of Keith’s favorite pieces that he’d done over the years but now he had a better idea for the board. It didn’t take him very long to take down his work and to find a safe spot for them in his desk. Then he retrieved the letter from under his pillow and grabbed his sketchbook from the floor.

 

He carefully tore out the two drawings, one in color and the other just in pencil, and matched them with the correct letter. In the top left of the board Keith pinned everything having to do with the first letter together, the envelope on the bottom, then the letter, then his drawing. He did the same thing with the new letter, pinning it directly to the right of the first.

 

Keith took a step back to admire his work. He had no idea if any more letters would come but at least now he had a way of keeping them in order.

 

Keith heard the apartment door slam and voices sound from the front room. He ran a hand through his hair and then headed out to see who Shiro had brought home. Keith rounded the corner from the hall to the front room and wasn’t at all surprised to see Allura standing there. She probably came over for dinner three times a week. Shiro wasn’t in the room; he had probably already headed off to the kitchen to start dinner.

 

“Allura.” Keith said by way of a greeting.

 

“Keith.” She replied with a smile.

 

“How’s the shop?” Keith asked. Allura ran a small coffee shop close to campus that also sold an assortment of baked goods. Keith had been there a few times with Shiro and had been blown away by how good their coffee was. He had asked Allura how they made the coffee taste so good but she had refused to tell him, saying it was a family secret.

 

“Well.” She replied still smiling. “Coran has been working on a new type of oatmeal cookie. He claims it’s going to be even better than his chocolate chip ones.”

 

Keith chuckled at that. “Will he ever stop trying to one up himself?”

 

Allura sighed, “I don’t think so...but it does keep us in business so who am I to ruin his fun?” Allura shrugged and laughed. “Anyway, part of the reason I came by today was to give you something.” Allura reached into the purse that was strung over her shoulder and dug around for a moment. “Ah, here it is.” She pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Keith.

 

Keith curiously took it from her and opened it. He read over the sheet twice before looking up at her. “An art contest?”

 

“Yes!” She said excitedly. “Lately the shop has been getting a lot of the art students from the university stopping by. Coran and I thought it might be a good idea to hold an art competition. All of the art submitted will be displayed in the shop but the winner gets a two thousand dollar scholarship.”

 

“Two thousand dollars?” Keith asked, not trying to hide the shock in his voice. “That’s a lot.”

 

“It is.”Allura agreed. “But business has been booming lately and I remember how hard it was getting through college. If we can just make one person’s life a little better then we’ve helped. It’s the least we can do after the university has provided us with an endless stream of customers the last couple years.”

 

“And you want me to enter?” Keith asked.

 

“Of course!” She replied. “I’ve seen your work, Keith. You’re really talented. I won’t force you, of course, but why not give it a shot?”

 

“I don’t know…” Keith said. He had never entered an art contest before. What if his work couldn’t compare to the other students? What would he even submit? He certainly didn’t have a piece worthy of submission right now.

 

“Well, the deadline’s in two week.” Allura said. “So think about it.”

 

“I will.” Keith said, looking down at the flier in hands again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see you next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	3. Overthinking

After having sealed his new letter in an envelope, Lance had placed it in his desk drawer with the other letter and the mysterious drawing. After that Lance had grabbed his wallet and left the dorm room, deciding that if anything was going to show up, it would most likely happen if he was not in the room.

 

The sun was setting as Lance walked alone through campus. He’d walked this route many times before, having visited the little coffee shop frequently with Pidge and Hunk. They had discovered the shop a little ways into their freshman year. Pidge had stayed up all night working on one of their projects, which wouldn’t have been that bad if they didn’t have an exam worth twenty-five percent of their grade the next day. Lance and Hunk knew that if Pidge had any chance of staying awake the two needed to get some coffee in them. And not just crappy campus coffee either; they needed high quality coffee. It took them a three minute search on their phones to find this place and only a ten minute walk to get there. One taste of the coffee there had Lance hooked. He’d been going back a few times a week ever since.

 

When Lance reached the small shop he glanced up at the sign that read “Five Lions Cafe” glowing in bright blue above the doorway. He had once asked Allura, the owner of the shop, what the name had meant. She had just shrugged and said it didn’t really mean anything. It had just come to her randomly. Lance had a hard time believing that.

 

He opened the door to the shop and heard the tinkle of the bell above the door. The shop was empty except for Coran who was standing behind the counter, cleaning off the various syrup bottles and machines. Lance wasn’t surprised to see the shop so dead. It was almost six o’clock at night. Coran had looked up from his cleaning at the sound of Lance entering.

 

“Lance?” He asked, surprised. “What are you doing here so late?”

 

“I could ask you the same thing.” Lance said approaching the counter. “Why do you guys stay open this late?”

 

“Allura understands that you college students operate on a different time schedule.” Coran explained. “You should see this place around finals week. I swear half the university comes through here. But you didn’t answer my question, what’s brought you here this late?”

 

Lance sighed and leaned against the counter. He had decided against telling anyone about the strange drawing he had received. No one would believe him anyway. “I just couldn’t stay in my dorm alone anymore, ya know?”

 

“Ah, I see.” Coran said, taking a cup out. He already knew Lance’s order; it was always the same thing. “Hunk still hasn’t come back?”

 

“Yeah…” Lance admitted, his gut twisting with guilt. “I don’t really blame him though.”

 

“Have you tried apologizing?” Coran asked. “Sometimes that’s all it takes.”

 

“I’ve tried.” Lance said. “I’ve tried calling and texting and everything else. They don’t want to talk to me, much less hear me apologize.” Coran placed Lance’s coffee on the counter and Lance dug his wallet out of his pocket. He handed Coran his card and then took a sip of the warm coffee before saying, “But enough about my problems. How’re your oatmeal cookies going?”

 

Lance could see Coran physically deflate and his face go pale.

 

“That bad, huh?”

 

“They just…” Coran paused in frustration. “They keep coming out good.”

 

Lance cocked his head to the side in confusion. “And that’s a bad thing?”

 

“Lance, Lance, Lance....” Coran said with a curt laugh, handing Lance his card back. “The only thing that comes out of this kitchen is great cookies. If it’s not great, I’m not serving it.” Coran crossed his arms in stubbornness even though Lance wasn’t arguing with him.  “And with that art event coming up, my cookies will need to be perfect.”

 

“Art event?” Lance asked. “What art event?”

 

“Allura decided to hold an art competition for the art students.” Coran said, gesturing to the flier taped to the counter that Lance hadn’t noticed. “She’s planning some big event for the day we announce the winner. We’re giving a two thousand dollar scholarship to the winner.”

 

“Two thousand dollars? I suddenly wish I was an art major.” Lance said with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Hey, you’re welcome to enter.” Coran said. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll blow those other students out of the water.”

 

Lance laughed and shook his head. “Unless it’s a stick figure drawing competition I’m afraid I’ll have to pass.”

 

Coran shrugged. “Your loss.”

 

“I should be going before it gets too late.” Lance said, looking at how dark it was outside through the shop windows. “I’ll see you later, Coran.”

 

“Come back soon!” Coran called as Lance exited the shop, coffee in hand.

 

Lance walked quickly back to his dorm room, not liking the idea of walking alone on campus at night. He also was anxious to see if there was a drawing waiting for him. He wasn’t sure if he wanted there to be one or not.

 

Lance entered his dorm room, throwing out the to-go cup in the trash can by the door. He scanned the room quickly, looking for anything out of place. He felt his heart jump in his chest as his eyes landed on a piece of paper lying on desk. He was sure he had cleared his desk off before leaving. This paper was new. Lance crossed the room quickly and picked the paper up.

 

It was another piece of sketchbook paper just like the one before but the picture on it was very different from the first one. He stared at the four figures on the paper, not believing any of this was actually happening. He shifted his gaze to the corner and he felt his whole body freeze up at the familiar name written.

 

_Keith K._

 

What did this mean? Lance didn’t know. He didn’t know how any of this was possible. Nothing made any sense. No one had read either of his letters except for himself so who was drawing these? Lance had to know. He had to figure this out.

 

Lance set the drawing back down and took out a new sheet of paper. He was going to solve this right now. Lance didn’t even bother sitting down as he scribbled out the letter.

 

_Dear Keith,_

_Are you real? -Lance_

 

Lance folded the letter and put it into an envelope. He sealed it and then wrote “Keith”  on it. He opened his desk drawer, putting the drawing and the envelope with the others, and waited for a reply.

 

\-----

 

Keith exited his bedroom the next morning, his hair a mess and still in his sweats. He yawned as he entered the kitchen. Shiro was already sitting at the small table in the kitchen, cup of coffee in his hand and reading the paper. Keith smiled to himself; Shiro could look so old sometimes.

 

“Mornin’ Dad.” Keith said as he passed him, heading for the cabinet.

 

Shiro sighed and looked up from the paper. “Once again, I’m not your dad. I’m not even _a_ dad.”

 

“Sure, okay.” Keith said, taking out a bowl and the box of his favorite cereal. The two fell into a comfortable silence as Keith finished making his breakfast and sat down across from Shiro.

 

“So Allura told me about that art contest.” Shiro said casually.

 

“And…?” Keith said, not really in the mood to have this conversation right after he woke up.

 

“And are you going to enter?” Shiro asked.

 

Keith shrugged. “I don’t know.” In all honesty, Keith wanted to but he also knew himself. He’d spend the next two weeks not thinking any of his ideas were good enough so he would procrastinate starting anything. Then he would panic when the deadline got close and throw something together at the last minute that he wouldn’t be happy with. He would submit it anyway because he’d feel bad if he didn’t and then proceed to feel shitty when he lost. That’s always how things like this went for him. It might be better to just not bother with it at all.

 

“Well I think you should.” Shiro said plainly.

 

“You do?”

 

“Yeah.” Shiro replied. “Allura has been thinking about asking you if she could display some of your artwork in the shop for awhile. She thinks you’re really good.”

 

“And what do you think?” Keith asked.

 

Shiro stood up from the table, putting his now empty mug in the sink. “I think that you have a tendency to overthink simple things. Don’t let this be one of those times.”

 

Keith didn’t respond, letting Shiro’s words sink in.

 

“Anyway, I should get to work.” Shiro said. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He grabbed an envelope off the counter that Keith hadn’t even noticed. “This was in the mailbox this morning.”

 

Keith took the envelope from Shiro, recognizing the handwriting on the front. “Thanks.”

 

“There was no address on it. Who’s it from?” Shiro questioned.

 

Keith had already decided to keep the letters to himself, at least until he knew more about what was going on. “A...friend.” Keith lied.

 

Shiro raised an eyebrow at him, clearly not believing him but he didn’t push the matter further. “Alright, I’m headed out. Don’t be late for your classes today.” Shiro said as he left the kitchen.

 

“When have I ever?” Keith called to him.

 

“There’s a first for everything!” He heard Shiro call back before hearing the apartment door close.

 

Keith grabbed the envelope and opened it, wanting to know more about Lance and his situation. He expected a long letter but what he got was entirely different.

 

_Dear Keith,_

_Are you real? -Lance_

 

Keith didn’t know what to think. What could he think? Everything Keith had read from Lance indicated that he was convinced Keith was entirely made up. So, what could this mean? Keith knew that he was real but what had tipped Lance off?

 

Maybe he was overthinking it. Shiro said he had a tendency to do that. Maybe this wasn’t Lance asking if Keith existed. Maybe it was simply Lance wishing Keith were real...or something? Keith still had no idea what Lance had done that was so bad so maybe he was in a really bad place. Maybe it was a cry for help. Keith didn’t know.

 

He supposed it didn’t really matter in the end though. It’s not like Keith had any way of telling Lance that he was real. He was pretty sure this was a one-way street. And even if it wasn’t Keith had no intention of writing a letter to Lance. What would he even say? Dear Lance, You don’t know me. Sorry your life sucks. Sincerely, Keith? No, that would be a disaster.

 

Keith stood up from the table, letter still in hand. Not bothering to take care of his breakfast dishes, Keith went back to his bedroom. He pinned the new letter up on his board next to the old ones. He’d just have to wait for the next letter he decided. Maybe that one could explain more about what’s going on. Or at least he hoped.

 

Keith did appreciate the absurdity of it all though. Two days ago Keith’s life had been a comfortable routine. Now he was dealing with mysterious letters from a guy named Lance and an art contest that he may or may not enter. Why had his life suddenly become so complicated?

 

Well, there was no use crying over spilled milk. Keith looked at his board one last time before leaving his room to clean up the mess he’d left in the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.  
> I have to admit it's been somewhat of a challenge writing this. Having Keith and Lance not interact physically makes it hard for me to write believable character development between them. But that's just me complaining. I'm sure taking on a project like this will only make me a better writer.  
> Hey, ya know what else will make me a better writer? You guys letting me know what you think! Any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated and helps me to see if I'm doing a good job telling the story.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	4. All In

Keith was giving himself a headache.

 

He had decided earlier that day that he would attempt to enter something into Allura’s art competition. Shiro said it would make Allura happy and if Allura was happy, Shiro was happy. It was the least Keith could do after everything Shiro had done for him.

 

After his classes had ended for the day Keith had gone to one of the student studios the university provided for the art majors. They weren’t particularly fancy but it was a space that Keith could work without worrying about being interrupted or making a mess. Keith had brought a medium sized canvas and his oil paints with him, hoping to at least start on his submission today.

 

Keith should’ve known that was wishful thinking.

 

He had started by sitting on a stool in front of the canvas, staring blankly at it. Many ideas came to him but none of them seemed good enough. He needed the perfect idea. If he was going to enter this contest, he might as well try to win after all. Now, however, he didn’t want to even look at the canvas. He was currently facing the wall of the small studio, lightly banging his forehead against it repeatedly.

 

Why couldn’t he think of a good idea?

 

Keith knew that it wasn’t like he had to start it today. He still had two weeks until the deadline. He could try again tomorrow. But the irritation Keith was feeling made him irrational...so he continued to bang his head against the wall.  

 

In the midst of him giving himself brain damage, Keith heard the sound of paper sliding across the floor. Confused, Keith stopped and looked around the studio. His eyes landed on a small envelope lying on the floor by the door with his name written on it.

 

Completely forgetting his current irritation, Keith darted over to the door and pulled it open forcefully. He stuck his head out of the room looking for who had delivered it. The hall was empty. Keith listened for the sound of footsteps but there was only silence.

 

With a sigh Keith closed the door to the studio again; looks like he wasn’t going to solve the mystery today. He stooped to pick the envelope off the ground, eager to read what Lance had written to him.

 

He opened it and began to read:

 

_Dear Keith,_

_I find that writing these letters has been more interesting than I originally thought they would. Have they helped me to think of a way out of this mess yet? No, not even a little bit. But they have served to entertain me. Without Pidge or Hunk around it’s easy for me to get lost in my own thoughts. Writing these keeps both my hands and mind busy. So, I guess that’s enough for now._

_I bet you’re wondering where all of this is going...I know I would be. I promise that it’ll all make sense in time. For now, let me tell you how I discovered the stranger’s name. I will say that if Pidge hadn’t been there I would’ve been screwed…_

 

\-----

 

“I don’t understand why you’re so hung up on this guy. I mean, sure he was a prick but can’t you just, I dunno, be mature and ignore him?” Hunk said.

 

Hunk, Lance, and Pidge were all hanging out in Hunk and Lance’s dorm room. It had only been earlier that day that Lance had pledged to get revenge on the stranger. Neither Hunk or Pidge had said they’d help him in this matter but Lance knew they’d come around eventually.

 

“He called me an ant.” Lance said as if that explained everything.

 

“I know for a fact that you’ve been called worse than that.” Pidge said from where they were sitting on the floor. “Mostly by me.”

 

“Yeah, and it’s not like you’ll have to see him anywhere else except that one class.” Hunk pointed out.

 

Lance could see that both of them had a point. He had to admit that he had probably overreacted and should do the grown up thing which was to let it go. But there had just been something about the strangers that rubbed Lance the wrong way.  It also didn’t help that Lance wasn’t usually one to let things go.

 

“C’mon guys.” Lance begged. He was currently pacing in the small dorm room. “He’s a jerk and I just want to show him he’s not as great as he thinks he is.”

 

“And how do you plan to do that?” Hunk asked.

 

“I don’t know…” Lance said, flopping down on his bed, arms stretched above his head. “I don’t even know his name.”

 

Lance heard Pidge sigh before saying, “Alright. I’ll help you figure out his name.”

 

Lance sat up quickly, an excited expression on his face. “You will?”

 

“But!” Pidge said, holding their hand up for emphasis. “I’ll need you to run a little errand for me.”

 

Lance narrowed his eyes in suspicion at Pidge. “What kinda errand?”

 

“Well, in order to get into the university’s student database I need access to their mainframe.” Pidge explained.

 

“Wait,” Hunk interrupted. “I thought you had already connected to the mainframe last year? I remember you almost got caught by the night janitor.”

 

“I was.” Pidge replied. “But they do a system scrub every summer. I was kicked out. So I need someone to patch me in again...which is where you come in, Lance.”

 

“Wait, wait, wait,” Lance said, disbelievingly. “You want me to do what now?”

 

“In short? Break into the the basement of the building where they store the university’s server and patch me into it.” Pidge said nonchalantly. “I’m really not asking much.”

 

“Are you kidding me?!” Lance said, standing up. “You want me to break into a university building? I could get kicked out for that!”

 

Pidge just shrugged. “Or you can just give up on the whole revenge thing and have a normal year at college.”

 

Lance knew that was a challenge. He knew that Pidge was trying to manipulate him. But he really wanted to find out that guy’s name and it wasn’t like he could just ask him. “Fine!” He finally said, sitting back down on his bed. “I’ll do it. But I’m taking Hunk with me.”

 

“What? Nope. No no no no no.” Hunk said quickly, fiercely shaking his head. “I want no part of this.”

 

“Actually,” Pidge said in thought. “It might not be a bad idea for you to tag along. Your engineering skills might come in handy.”

 

“Yeah, I’m an engineering major but my focus is in _mechanical_ engineering. I know very little about large university servers.” Hunk said, slight desperation in his voice.

 

“Yeah, but that’s still more than Lance knows about it.” Pidge said, pointing at Lance.

 

“Hey!” Lance said, crossing his arms.

 

“You know that if Lance went in alone he’d just screw it up or get caught or something, right?” Pidge said.

 

“I’m right here!” Lance shouted, flinging his arms up in annoyance.

 

Hunk sighed. “Yeah, I know...why can’t you go then?”

 

“Because that’s not the deal.” Pidge replied slyly.

 

“I don’t like it…” Hunk said, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “But I’ll go.”

 

“Yes!” Lance cheered as he  jumped up from the bed. “We’ll be like spies or something going on a covert operation.”  He dropped to one knee, forming a gun with his hands and pretending to shoot at some invisible enemy on the other side of the room.

 

“Sure…” Pidge said, raising a brow. “But I’ll need a day to get the stuff ready. You guys can go tomorrow night.”

 

“Perfect.” Lance replied. “I have some stuff to get ready too.” Lance couldn’t help smiling at himself as ideas for the following night were running through his head. If he was going to break into a building, he was going all out.

 

\-----

 

_...So we had a plan. Well, sorta. Either way Hunk and I had a mission and I was determined not to fail. This was the first step to getting my revenge and I’m not going to lie, I was excited. -Lance_

 

Keith finished reading the letter and found he was slightly annoyed. Why did he always have to end his letters at the worst of times? Keith was more than a little interested in the shenanigans that were no doubt going to happen in the next letter.

 

He folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. He dropped the envelope in his bag sitting on the floor next to the door. He supposed he’d just have to be patient and wait. He hated waiting. He looked back at the still empty canvas sitting in the center of the room, knowing he wasn’t going to get anything done today.

 

He sighed and grabbed his sketchbook and pencil case from his bag. He ignored the stool he’d originally been sitting on and instead went to sit in the corner of the studio next to the only window in the room. It was a floor length window which looked over the quad. Keith sat down next to the window, his back against the adjacent wall. He rested his sketchbook against his raised knees after finding a suitable pencil. He glanced out of the window once more before starting to draw.

 

\-----

 

Lance had waited for a reply to show up to his short note that he’d written to Keith asking if he was real. Nothing ever came. He had returned to his dorm after his final class of the day, anxious to see if something was waiting for him. He was disappointed to find his dorm looked exactly as he left it. But Lance didn’t give up that easily. He had decided that he was most likely to receive a drawing if he continued where he’d left off with his story.

 

So Lance had sat down to write a new letter. At first these letters were just meant to be therapeutic for him and that was it. They had quickly turned into a mystery that he desperately wanted to solve. He wanted to know where these drawings were coming from and, most of all, who was drawing them. When he had finished the letter he put it with the others. All that was left for him to do was wait.

 

He decided to get some actual work done while he waited. Usually he put off school work until the last minute, but he really didn’t have anything else to do. Normally he’d be hanging out with Pidge and Hunk but this wasn’t a normal time for him.

 

Two hours later Lance’s brain hurt and his vision had started to blur from staring at the small text of his textbook that was currently sitting open on his desk. He had a pile of papers next to the book which consisted mostly of reference pages and extremely disorganized notes. He now knew more about the Spanish-American war than any normal person would need to know. He couldn’t understand why an astrophysics major like himself would ever need to know that the U.S.S Maine exploding was the spark that lit the fire of war between Spain and America.

 

Lance leaned back in his chair, defeated by history and academic exhaustion. He decided to call it quits for the day and look for something to eat. Lance started clean up his mess on this desk, closing his book and sorting out his notes from the reference pages.

 

The last thing he had been expecting was to discover a sketchbook page stuck within the stack of paper. How did it even get there? Lance felt excitement settle into his stomach. He flipped the page over with shaking hands and stared at the new drawing.

 

The picture was of him, Hunk, and Pidge in his dorm room. Pidge was seated on the floor of the room, their arms crossed across their chest and a sigh coming out of their mouth. Hunk was at his own desk, leaning back in his chair with an easy look on his face. Lance himself was on his bed, lying on his back with his arms stretched above his head, making his shirt rise a little and exposing his stomach.

 

The thing that stood out the most to Lance was the dorm room in this picture was exactly like the room he was sitting in right now. From the way his lamp sat on his desk to the posters that were taped to the wall everything was the same. Lance knew for a fact that the only people who had ever been in this room where himself, Hunk, and Pidge. So how could whoever drew this know what it looked like? Lance felt a shiver go up his spine.

 

Something bigger than Lance could currently comprehend was going on. There was a part of him that was slightly worried that whatever was happening could only end badly but that part was suppressed by his curiosity. He needed to know what was happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hoped you enjoyed it!  
> It really warms my heart that you guys are finding this story interesting and original.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	5. Breaking...

_Dear Keith,_

_I realize the only thing you know about me is what I’ve written in these letters so you may find it hard to believe that I can get a little overexcited sometimes…_

 

Keith had no trouble believing that.

 

_...Hunk tells me that being overexcited about things isn’t bad. In fact, it can be an endearing quality. Well, that is, unless you’re like me who tends to get overexcited about the wrong things. Should I have been looking forward to breaking into a school building? Probably not. Should I have skipped my classes to take a trip to Walmart in order to buy a bunch of spy gear I was probably never going to use again? Definitely not. But it happened and to be honest, I don’t regret it for a single moment…_

 

\-----

 

“Okay, Hunk, it’s time to suit up.” Lance declared, entering his dorm room with his arms full of bags. Hunk was sitting at his desk, hunched over in concentration. When Lance had entered the room Hunk glanced up in slight surprise.

 

“Dude, where were you today? Pidge thought you were hiding out so you didn’t have to break into that building for them...which I still think is a bad idea by the way.”

 

“Me? Chickening out? That’s hilarious.” Lance said, crossing the room and setting the bags down on his bed. “I was at the store getting stuff for tonight.”

 

“All day?” Hunk asked. “Lance, please tell me you didn’t go overboard.”

 

“Hunk,” Lance said seriously, turning to face his friend. “You should know by now that I don’t know the meaning of restraint.”

 

Hunk sighed, “I know, I know. So what’d you buy?”

 

“Oh a bit of this and a bit of that.” Lance replied with a wave of his hand. “Just your normal spy stuff.” He grabbed one of the bags off his bed and tossed it to Hunk who caught it easily. “Now, get ready. We’ve got a mission to complete.”

 

\-----

 

“What the hell are you guys wearing?” Pidge asked when Lance had opened the door hours later. Pidge had stopped by to give them the stuff they would need to patch them in. It had grown dark outside and Lance was feeling only slightly nervous for the events of the night.

 

“What do you mean?” Lance asked, looking down at his clothes. He was decked out in all black even down to his shoes, going so far as to put black tape over the white parts. He had a black bandana currently tied around his neck and black war paint swipes below his eyes. His hands were covered with black fingerless gloves and around his waist was his makeshift utility belt consisting of a flashlight, pepper spray, duct tape, and his secret weapon.

 

“You look ridiculous.” Pidge said flatly, pushing past Lance and entering the room.

 

“I tried to tell him that.” Hunk said. “But he insisted.” Hunk was dressed very similar to Lance. He had forgone the bandana and belt but begrudgingly applied the war paint and had even traded his normal orange headband out for the black one Lance had bought for him.

 

“Um, Lance?” Pidge asked, looking at the belt around Lance’s waist nervously. “Please tell me that’s not real.”

 

Lance followed their gaze to his side where a small holster was situated. “This?” Lance asked, unsnapping the holster and pulling out the plastic handgun with the orange tip. “Completely fake.” He held it up for Pidge to see.

 

“Why do you have fake gun?” Pidge asked, not sounding amused.

 

“Aesthetic.” Lance replied. “It just sorta completes the whole get-up, doesn’t it?”

 

“You realize that if someone sees you with that you could get into some serious trouble.” Pidge said seriously.

 

Lance waved his hand dismissively. “We’re breaking into a university building. Everything I’m doing tonight could get me into some serious trouble. Besides, I was planning on throwing it away after tonight.”

 

Pidge looked at Hunk, an eyebrow raised as if expecting him to say something. Hunk smiled sheepishly and said, “I’ve already tried to convince him to throw it away now. Nothing worked.”

 

Pidge sighed, “Whatever then. Here.” Pidge took the bag off their back and dug into the main pocket, pulling out three walkie talkies and some weird looking devices. “These.” Pidge said handing a walkie talkie to Hunk and another to Lance. “Are in case you guys get split up. I’ll also have one so I can instruct you guys on how to use this.” Pidge held up the weird device. “This device will allow me access to the mainframe. Once you find the servers let me now so I can walk you through hooking it up.” Pidge handed the device to Hunk who proceeded to put it in his pocket.

 

Lance hooked the walkie talkie to his belt, feeling more like a spy than before. “Okay.” He said. “Let’s go break into a building.”

 

\-----

 

Thirty minutes later Hunk, Pidge, and Lance were all crouched behind a bush, staring at the large building in front of them. It was dark outside, the only thing illuminating the campus being the few street lamps behind them and the moon. The only sound Lance could hear was the occasional frog and their breathing. He felt his heart pounding in anticipation against his chest and his palms had started to grow sweaty under the fingerless gloves. The building itself was dark save one of the upper floors. Lance guessed that was where the night janitor was and counted himself lucky that the basement was probably going to be empty.

 

“Alright.” Pidge whispered from their crouched position next to Lance. “The best way in is for you guys to go around back. That’s the door the janitor uses if I remember correctly. He’s pretty old so he forgets to lock it behind him most of the time.”

 

“How do you know that?” Hunk asked, side-eyeing Pidge.

 

Pidge let out a curt laugh. “Do you think I’m the only one who needs to get patched into this thing every year? People talk, Hunk.”

 

“Wow, our school has a real cyber security problem.” He said.

 

“And I’d like to keep it that way so you guys can’t get caught.” Pidge replied.

 

“And what if the door is locked?” Lance asked.

 

“Then you’ll just have to find another way in. Once you are inside, though, just head to the basement. The server room is the largest one down there. You really can’t miss it. Got it?”

 

“Got it.” Lance said with a nod. He grabbed the bandana that was around his neck and moved it up so it covered his mouth and nose. “Let’s go, Hunk.” Lance, staying low to the ground, darted out from behind the bush and started to make his way towards the building.

 

“I still think this is a bad idea.” Hunk whispered from behind him.

 

“Shhh!” Lance shushed him, not turning to face him. He could hear their muffled footsteps against the grass and he shifted his eyes from left to right to make sure the coast was clear. When he reached the building he checked behind them and could barely see Pidge’s wild hair sticking out from the bush they’d just been behind. He gave them a thumbs up, not sure if they could even see it, before leading Hunk around the side of the building.

 

Lance was more than nervous now. He could feel his gut twisting in on itself and he did his best to swallow the bile that had risen in his throat. He tried not to think about what they were actually doing and instead focused on his hatred for the white-haired stranger. That compelled him to keep moving in the direction of the back of the building.

 

Lance rounded the corner of the building and spotted the door they needed. He picked up his pace as they neared it, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. He held his breath as he reached for the handle of the door, praying for it to be unlocked. He glanced back at Hunk who was shifting nervously from one foot to the other and glancing around like at any moment they were going to see police lights. Lance gripped the handle tightly and ever so gently tried to pull it open.

 

When the door opened without so much as a creak Lance let out the breath he was holding. Maybe luck was going to be on their side tonight. The two entered the dark building and Lance grabbed the flashlight from his belt and switched it on. They were standing in a dark hallway with closed doors on either side. It looked like a regular office building but Lance could feel the shiver go up his spine. There was just something about being in a dark, unfamiliar building late at night that set his nerves on edge.

 

“Did Pidge tell us where the basement stairs were?” Hunk whispered from behind, not even trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.

 

“Nope.” Lance replied. “You can ask them though.”

 

“Are you crazy? If we use the walkie talkies right here there’s no way that janitor won’t hear us!” Hunk whispered almost directly into his ear.

 

Lance had to admit that he had a point. “Alright, then I guess we’re on our own.” Lance started down the hall, pointing his flashlight at the names on the doors as he went. He didn’t recognize any of the names which didn’t surprise him. They went to a big university. Of course he didn’t know everyone who worked there. What he was looking for, though, was a door that was unmarked. That would be their best bet.

 

When the two reached the end of the hall, Lance found what he was looking for. He shined his light at the unmarked door and turned to look back at Hunk. “Bingo.” He whispered. He reached for the handle and pulled. The door stayed shut. He pulled again, this time a little harder. It didn’t budge. “Shit!” He swore under his breath. “I think it’s locked.”

 

“After all the break ins they’ve had, I’m not surprised.” Hunk said, pushing Lance aside lightly with one hand and digging in his pocket with the other. “Luckily, I came prepared.” He pulled out two tiny screwdrivers hardly bigger than a doctor’s needle.

 

“Woah.” Lance said in amazement. “You know how to pick locks?”

 

“Well...no.” Hunk admitted, kneeling down in front of the lock. “But _I am_ a mechanical engineering major. I think I can figure it out.”

 

Much to Lance’s amazement, it only took Hunk five minutes to pick the lock. The door swung open and Lance shined the flashlight beam inside, illuminating an old looking staircase. He gave a quick thumbs up to Hunk before taking the lead again and slowly descending the stairs

 

He could feel his heart pounding in his stomach and sweat had started to roll down his face as he made his way to the bottom. He wasn’t afraid of what could be waiting for them in the dark. No way. Not Lance. He was simply _nervous_. Yeah, nervous. It was perfectly understandable to be nervous.

 

When Lance reached the bottom he scanned the room with his flashlight. There were a few cabinets lined against the wall that looked like they hadn’t been touched in years. Dust and cobwebs hung off of them and Lance was doing his best to not breathe in the musty smell of the basement. There were four doors in the room, all closed, but the one on the right had a faint blue light glowing out from the crack at the bottom. Lance looked back at Hunk who was cowering behind him. With a shrug Lance walked over to the door and opened it.

 

The room went a ways back and if it weren’t for the blue glow Lance wouldn’t have been able to see the far wall. The room was filled with massive...somethings. They had wires running between them and looked like something he’d see in a science fiction movie. Along the walls were stacks of boxes. Probably extra wires and parts for the monstrous machines in front of him.

 

“I think we found the right place.” Lance said in awe.

 

“We should tell Pidge.” Hunk said, slightly shielding his eyes from the bright blue glow.

 

Lance reached for the walkie talkie on his belt and turned it on. “Hey, Pidge, we found the servers.”

 

“Great!” He heard Pidge say back. “Pick one and open the front panel.”

 

Lance looked at Hunk who shrugged and walked over to the nearest machine. Lance followed him, and by the time he was looking over Hunk’s shoulder, Hunk had already had the front panel open. Lance could hear a quiet whirring sound coming from the machine and he was suddenly very glad Hunk was there. He would have no idea what he was doing.

 

“Now what?” Hunk said into his own walkie talkie.

 

Pidge started feeding instructions to Hunk that Lance couldn’t understand in his wildest dreams. Deciding he wasn’t needed for this part, he went to go take a  look around the room. He walked around the perimeter of the room, snooping in boxes and poking at the large machines. He wasn’t really hurting anything...well at first.

 

As Lance approached the back of the room he had failed to notice that one of his shoe laces had become untied. Because he was Lance and life liked being really mean to him sometimes, he stepped on the untied lace and fell forward. In his surprise all he could do was hold out his hands in front of him as he crashed face first into a stack of boxes.

 

The boxes along with Lance crashed to the ground, the sound echoing around the room, almost deafening in the silence of the basement.

 

Lance lay on top of the fallen boxes, the contents of which were now spread out on the floor. Lance could feel the moment his heart stopped beating and his blood ran cold. He was only able to say one thing as realization dawned on him at what he had just done.

 

“Oh shit…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I hoped you enjoyed it!  
> I apologize for the somewhat long wait. Usually I don't take this long to update but I really struggled with writing this chapter. It's still not exactly what I want it to be but I just said screw it. It's good enough.  
> Originally, the break in scene was supposed to be one chapter but I quickly realized it was going to have to be two. So look forward to the second half of the break in coming soon in the next chapter.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	6. ...And Exiting

“What the fuck was that?” Lance heard Pidge say over the walkie talkie. Pidge’s voice seemed to jerk him out of his trance. Lance scrambled to his feet, dusting off his pants in the process.

 

“N-nothing. Nothing happened. Nope. Everything is okay.” Lance said a little too quickly into his walkie talkie.

 

“Bullshit.” Pidge said. “You definitely-oh shit, oh shit, _oh shit!_ ”

 

“What?!” Lance practically shouted into the walkie talkie.

 

“Whatever you did, Lance, the night janitor heard. I think he’s coming your way!” Pidge replied, sounding frantic.

 

“Hunk!” Lance called quietly. “We gotta go!”

 

“But this thing is still decrypting the system!” Hunk called back from the other side of the room. “It needs at least another ten minutes!”

 

“Dammit!” Lance said, kicking one of the boxes lightly before quickly heading back towards Hunk. “Okay, I’ll go distract the janitor. You need ten minutes? I’ll give you ten minutes.”

 

“How’re you going to do that?” Hunk asked skeptically.

 

Lance gestured to himself. “I am a spy in case you forgot. He won’t even see me coming.” Lance saluted Hunk before walking towards the door.

 

“Hey, Mr. Spy?” Hunk called, amused. Lance turned with an eyebrow raised. “You should tie your shoe before you go.”

 

Lance was glad for the bandana currently covering his face so Hunk couldn’t see the blush that had spread across his cheeks. He coughed awkwardly before bending over to tie his shoe and then retreated out into the dark basement.

 

“Okay, Pidge.” Lance whispered into the walkie talkie. “Where’s the janitor?”

 

“The lights just came on on the third floor. I’m guessing he’s searching it for that noise. Ya know, the noise that you made.”

 

“Yes, thank you Pidge.” Lance hissed into the walkie talkie. Lance hooked the walkie talkie back on his belt and drew out his handgun. He knew that there was no way it could be useful in this situation and even if it were real he wasn’t going to just shoot the night janitor, but it made him feel better. It gave him the slight confidence boost that he needed.

 

“Let’s do this.”

 

Lance quickly ascended the stairs back up to the first floor of the building. He decided against using his flashlight, instead having to find his way in the dark. It wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be. More than once he ran into a wall or tripped on a stair. He had a feeling he was going to wake up tomorrow with more than a few new bruises.

 

Once he had made it to the first floor, Lance moved more quietly down the hall, passing all of the doors until he made it to the door they had entered through. Instead of heading out, though, he turned and headed up the stairs leading to the second floor. With the help of the moon shining through the glass doors, he was able to navigate the stairs with a few less accidents.

 

When he reached the second floor he decided to risk turning his flashlight on just briefly enough to be able to tell that it looked exactly like the hallway on the first floor. He could hear someone opening and closing doors on the floor above him. He had to work fast.

 

He half jogged down the hallway as quietly as possible, holding the fake handgun out in front of him like he was expecting something to jump out at him. He stopped at every door, hoping that luck would be with him.

 

“Locked...locked...locked...” He whispered to himself as me moved down the hallway. “Aha!” He turned the handle of one of the doors towards the end of the hallway and the door opened. He grabbed the duct tape from his belt and quickly taped a large “X” on the door. He closed the door and made his way back down the hallway to the stairs.

 

He ascended the stairs to the third floor, aided by the light filtering down from the illuminated hall he was headed too. He stuck close to the wall as he approached the top of the staircase. He could feel sweat rolling down the sides of his face as his nerves took ahold of his stomach.

 

He could see the night janitor moving from room to room, unlocking the doors, peering inside, and then relocking the doors. Pidge was right when they said he was pretty old.

 

“Dirty rotten kids…” Lance could hear the janitor mumble as he moved from room to room. “Always sneakin’ into my building…”

 

Lance took a deep breath before shouting at the janitor. “Hey! Janitor McOld Guy! Looking for me?!”

 

Lance saw the janitor spin around quickly, looking for the source of the voice. Lance felt terror grip his heart as the janitor’s eyes met his. Lance swore he saw fire in them. This definitely wasn’t his first rodeo.

 

Lance didn’t stick around to find out what would happen if the janitor got ahold of him. He turned on his heel and sprinted back down the stairs. He could hear the janitor yelling behind him and Lance glanced back to see the janitor a lot closer than he thought possible.

 

“Man, this old guy can really move…” Lance said to himself as he reached the bottom of the stairs and darted down the dark hallway of the second floor. As he was about halfway down the hall, he saw the fluorescent lights over his head flicker on. With the lights on Lance could see the door with the duct tape “X” on it clearly. His lungs burning, he pushed his legs towards the door, trying his best to tune out the nonsensical shouting of the janitor behind him.

 

He reached the door and wrenched it open forcefully. He ducked inside, slamming the door behind him and ramming his back against the wall next to the door. The room was still dark and Lance tried to slow his breathing as he waited for the janitor to catch up to him. He could hear his heart pounding against his chest and his hands shook as he held on tightly to the fake gun. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, amplifying his senses and causing his mind to spin.

 

It seemed like an eternity before he heard someone grab the handle and slowly turn it, opening the door at a cautious pace. The lights of the room flickered on and he saw the janitor enter the room. With the lights on Lance could see he was in an office. Much to Lance’s delight the janitor failed to look behind the door where Lance was currently hiding. When the janitor was far enough in the room, Lance dared move. With silent footsteps, Lance crept out from behind the door, praying that the janitor would stay facing the other way.

 

“I know you’re in here…” He heard the janitor taunt as Lance backed out of the room, not even daring to breathe. “You can’t hide from me forever…”

 

As soon as Lance was out of the room he turned and silently jogged back towards the stairs, glancing behind him every few steps to make sure the janitor hadn’t figured out his play. He reached the stairs and descended them quickly. When he was halfway down Lance deemed it safe enough to pull out his walkie talkie and contact the others.

 

“Hunk!” He whispered into the walkie talkie. “Please tell me you’re finished.”

 

“Just got done.” Came the reply. “I’m heading back up now. Should be outta the building in a minute or two.”

 

Lance let out a relieved breath. “Okay, I’m headed out too. I’ll meet you-ah!” Lance dropped his walkie talkie as an arm was wrapped around his neck.

 

“I’ve got you now!” He heard a voice yell in his ear.

 

Lance’s brain kicked into overdrive as the arm tightened around him. He was not about to be kicked out of school because some old janitor caught him. No way, no how. Lance struggled against the janitor, using his superior strength to his advantage. The guy might’ve been fast but he wasn’t that strong.

 

With a few well placed jabs with his elbows, Lance was released from the janitor’s grasp. Or at least that’s what he thought. Lance attempted to escape the janitor, scrambling further down the stairs. He could hear Pidge screaming over the walkie talkie that still rested on one of the stairs but he didn’t stop to pick it up. He felt a hand grip the back of his shirt, pulling him backwards and causing him to fall on the stairs. His back hit the staircase hard and he felt the wind get knocked out of him.

 

“You’re not going anywhere!” He heard the janitor yell above him. It took Lance a moment to gather his bearings and remember that he was in the worst situation imaginable. The janitor had ahold of his left arm, effectively pinning it down.

 

Lance struggled against it but he couldn’t get enough leverage to free his arm. Lance could feel himself start to panic. This was it. He was going to get caught. He was going to be kicked out. What would his parents say? They had worked so hard to put him through college. He couldn’t face them if he got kicked out.

 

Lance in his frantic state did the only thing he could think to do. With the fake gun still clutched in his right hand, he swung his right arm towards the janitor. With an impact that was a little harder than Lance had intended, he hit the janitor on the side of the head with the butt of the gun.

 

Lance felt relief and horror spread through him as the janitor immediately slumped over on the stairs. Lance jerked his arm away and quickly caught the janitor that was sliding down the stairs. Lance, using the strength from the adrenaline that was still pumping through his veins, dragged the janitor to the top of the staircase and laid him on the floor of the hall. With a shaky hand he felt for the old man’s pulse and almost cried out in triumph as he felt it. The guy was just unconscious. Thank god.

 

“Lance?! Lance, come in!” Lance heard Pidge yell over the walkie talkie that was still abandoned. Lance, leaving the janitor on the floor of the hall, went to go retrieve the device.

 

“I’m here!” He said into it.

 

“Get your ass out here, now! We gotta go! I can hear sirens! The janitor must’ve called the police!” Pidge shouted.

 

Lance didn’t even hesitate to sprint down the stairs to the first floor and burst out of the back door of the building. Pidge was right about the sirens and they sounded close. Lance pushed his sore legs as fast as they would go back around the building and towards the bush they’d left Pidge behind. As he approached he saw Hunk and Pidge stand up and start running back towards their dorm building.

 

Lance, having longer legs than both of them, easily caught up to them. His lungs burned as the three raced away from the building and across the campus.

 

“Remind me to never ask you do break into a building ever again!” Pidge yelled as they sprinted back towards safety, sirens still blaring in the distance.

 

\-----

 

_...You might be thinking there is no way all of that was true. Well let me tell you, Keith, that I didn’t exaggerate a single detail. I broke into a building, tripped over some stuff, ran from an old janitor, almost got captured by said janitor, and then knocked him out to get away. It was not my proudest moment._

_Needless to say, I am never going to do a favor for Pidge ever again. That was possibly the single most coolest and terrifying experience of my life. I’d like to tell you that what came next wasn’t as bad as what we had just done. I’d really like to...but I’m not a liar._

_Strap in, Keith. This story is just going to get crazier by the letter. -Lance_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> I'd like to describe to you guys how fun this chapter was to write but I simply can't. I just really love writing about Lance getting into all sorts of shenanigans.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time! 
> 
> ~Redjay


	7. Red

Keith finished reading the letter for the third time that morning. He set the letter down on the table in front of him and took a sip of his coffee. He wasn’t sure how he had expected the break in to go down but it sure as hell wasn’t like that. Lance straight up assaulted an old man. And if Keith was being honest with himself, he was slightly impressed. He hadn’t realized Lance was good at thinking on his feet like that, creating a distraction to give Hunk enough time to finish the decryption. He wasn’t sure what he’d have done if he was in Lance’s position.

 

Keith jumped a little as a hand smacked the table he was sitting at, breaking his train of thought. “Whatcha reading, Keith?”

 

Keith looked up at the the brown haired guy who was standing in front of his table with a mischievous smirk on his face. “What do you want, Matt?”

 

Matt was an employee at the Five Lions Cafe and had an annoying habit of asking questions Keith did not want to answer. Don’t get him wrong, Keith liked Matt, but Matt was a little too observant. Keith always had to be careful with what he said around Matt. He had first met Matt when Shiro had invited him over for dinner at their apartment one night along with Allura. He had seemed like a normal guy at first, but as the night wore on Keith had started to realize how Matt’s inquiries about his life were a little too specific. He seemed more interested in Keith than what was considered normal. Keith had found out too late from Shiro about Matt’s tendency to pry into other people’s business.

 

Matt sat down across from Keith, not seeming to notice Keith’s somewhat guarded tone. “I’m on break and I’m bored.” He replied, sighing.

 

“And you expect me to entertain you? Not likely.” Keith replied.

 

Matt shot a smirk at him. “You don’t have much of a choice in the matter, I’m afraid.” Keith didn’t know what that meant but he didn’t like the sound of it. He started to regret coming to the cafe today. He’d ended up here because he had wanted to read the letter without Shiro looking over his shoulder every two seconds. When Shiro had walked into the kitchen this morning with the letter it was hard to convince him that it wasn’t anything bad or illegal. “So,” Matt said, cutting into his thoughts again. “What’s that?” Matt gestured to the letter still resting open on the table.

 

“I’m pretty sure it’s not any of your business.” Keith said smoothly, folding the letter back up and putting it in its envelope.

 

“Oh, I see.” Matt said. “It’s a love note.”

 

Keith felt his face grow red involuntarily. “W-what? No. It’s not a...love note.” He stammered a little too quickly.  

 

Matt rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward a little. “Then why can’t I read it?”

 

“It’s...uh…” Keith tried to think of a convincing lie. It wasn’t like there was anything embarrassing in the letter - possibly incriminating, but not embarrassing. Keith just didn’t want anyone to know that mysterious notes kept appearing out of nowhere for him. How was he supposed to explain that anyway? He didn’t even truly know what was going on. “It’s personal.” He finally said lamely. Unlike Lance, he wasn’t the greatest at thinking on his feet.

 

“Personal?” Matt asked with a raised eyebrow, clearly not believing Keith. “Ya know, Shiro told me you were a bad liar but I didn’t realize you were _this_ bad.”

 

Keith dropped the note back into his bag that was resting at his feet to avoid looking at Matt’s curious gaze. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He said.

 

Matt let out a curt laugh. “Okay, Kogane, sure.” Matt leaned back in his chair again, dropping the subject. “So, are you going to enter the art competition?” He asked casually.

 

Keith nodded, happy that Matt had decided to change the subject. “Shiro said I should and I really don’t want to let him down.”

 

“I swear,” Matt said with a small laugh. “You only do things if it’s for Shiro.”

 

Keith crossed his arms over his chest, feeling a little defensive. “Well, Shiro’s done so much for me. It’s only right that I return the favor.”

 

Matt held his arms up in mock surrender. “I never said it was a bad thing.” Matt stood up from the table. “Well, I suppose I should get back to work before Allura yells at me.” Matt turned to walk back towards the counter, but stopped mid turn and said in an uncharacteristically serious voice to Keith. “Doing things for others isn’t a bad thing, Keith. But maybe you should consider doing something for yourself. Enter the contest because you want to, not because it would make Shiro happy. Just...think about it.” And with that Matt left without giving Keith a chance to respond. “Oh!” Matt called as he walked away. “Thanks for the entertainment!”

 

“Do something for myself?” Keith muttered quietly, staring at Matt’s retreating figure. What did that mean? Keith did lots of things for himself. Nothing in particular came to mind but he was sure there was something.

 

Keith let out a frustrated huff before pushing Matt’s words from his mind. He always seemed to get under Keith’s skin in the most irritating way. He didn’t need life advice from Matt of all people.

 

Keith bent over to retrieve his sketchbook from his bag. He still had a sketch to do so he could add it to his board. As he looked for an adequate pencil in his pencil case his mind ran through all of the possible scenes he could draw. There was one scene that stuck out to him more than the others and Keith didn’t exactly know why. Maybe it was the ridiculousness of the situation Lance had gotten himself into or maybe it was because Keith had been impressed with his quick thinking. The reason didn’t matter Keith decided. It’s not like anyone but him was seeing these drawings anyway.

 

Keith leaned over his sketchbook and began to draw.

 

\-----

 

It was Saturday and as such, Lance didn’t have any classes. Normally Lance would’ve loved the fact that he had a day off. He’d spend the day hanging out with Pidge or Hunk, going to get coffee or simply laying around on the quad. But Hunk and Pidge weren’t around and not even Allura’s amazing coffee could fill the gaping hole in his chest. The only thing that could take his mind off of everything was writing those letters to Keith but he’d wrote one last night and hadn’t gotten a drawing yet. He was just going to have to be patient.

 

Lance had decided to eat his lunch out on the quad. After grabbing a sandwich from the dining hall closest to his dorm he had found a quiet spot under a tree. He sat leaning against the trunk of the tree and watched as people crossed the quad on their way to who-knows-where.

 

It was a rather cold day for autumn which was perfect for Lance. This time of year was his favorite. The leaves had already changed colors and began to fall, decorating the campus with reds and yellows. A breeze blew across the quad, churning up the fallen leaves and surrounding him in a colorful tornado. Lance pulled his jacket tighter around himself, smiling to himself as he watched people combating the wind.

 

Lance was pulled out his thoughts by something harder than a leaf hitting him in the side of the face. It didn’t hurt but it scared Lance enough to cause him to let out a yelp. His hand shot up to his face, prying away the sheet of paper that had hit him and was now being held there by the wind.

 

Lance felt his stomach twist as he recognized the now familiar sketch paper. Lance scanned the quad, looking for something that would explain how the drawing had ended up hitting him. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary which made him more confused. How was he getting these?

 

He decided to save that mystery for another day and turned his attention to what was on the paper. He let out a laugh at the ridiculous scene sketched out. Writing about it had been strange enough but to now see it just made it ten times more bizarre.

 

He saw himself decked out in his spy gear, fingerless gloves and all. He was standing against the wall in an office, holding the fake handgun in his hands and looking tense. Next to Lance was the open door of the office and a little further in the room stood the old night janitor, his back to Lance. Lance felt a pang of guilt as he looked at the janitor. Hitting him with that gun was not one of his proudest moments, he had to admit.

 

He still couldn’t believe that he was able to sneak past that old guy. He certainly felt like a spy in that moment. Granted, the moments after hadn’t worked out well for him but that was beside the point.

 

Lance, still feeling slightly amused, looked up from the drawing, turning his attention back towards the people crossing the campus. He still wasn’t sure if Keith was a real person or if someone was playing a really mean prank on him. And he wasn’t exactly sure he wanted to find out. But he would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that the drawings helped him not feel so alone. He wanted Keith to be real. He wanted Keith to not just be a name he made up.

 

Lance sighed and leaned his head back against the trunk of the tree. He let his mind wander as he people watched and ate his lunch. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there before something caught his eye...or more like _someone_.

 

The first thing Lance noticed was a red jacket moving at a quick pace across the quad. It stood out to Lance more than any other color, vibrant against the yellows and oranges on the ground. Lance next noticed the mass of black hair that was blowing in the wind, causing the owner’s face to be obscured. Even at this distance Lance could see how silky and well kept it was and he felt a sudden urge to run his fingers through it. He saw the stranger reach up push the hair out of his face. Lance thought he had died and been sent to heaven. He was sure that no human could look as perfect as the person he was looking at right now.

 

Lance could do nothing but stare in awe as the stranger hurried across the campus and disappeared into one of the art buildings. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest and breathing seemed to be harder than normal for him. Lance wanted to follow the stranger. He wanted to know his name, hear his voice, find out who he was but Lance didn’t move from his spot.

 

Along with his infatuation there was fear. He remembered what had happened last time he’d tried to talk to someone that took his breath away. It certainly didn’t end well for him the last time. Was he willing to risk it?

 

In the end, Lance decided that it was better to just leave the stranger alone. He had his own problems to deal with and he really didn’t want to pull anyone else into his issues. He wouldn’t give anyone else his burden...even if that person looked like an angel sent from heaven.

 

Lance, holding the new drawing in his hand, stood up from the ground and walked away from the building the stranger had disappeared into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> As a sort of disclaimer I guess I'd like to point out that because we haven't gotten a whole lot of characterization for Matt I had to improvise. I tried to give him a personality similar to Pidge without making them the same person. Hopefully, you guys like him. I know I'm excited to write more of him.  
> Any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated and extremely motivating.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	8. First Rift

_Dear Keith,_

_I want to state for the record that up until the break in I had never done anything illegal. Not even once. I hadn’t even, like, trespassed or broke curfew or anything. I was a pure, innocent young man. All of that changed when I met Pidge._

_Hunk had introduced me to Pidge about a month into our freshman year. They were in the same class and had been partnered together. When I first met Pidge we didn’t exactly click. There was a lot of bickering and I feel slightly bad that Hunk had to put up with all of it. But eventually our bickering turned from resentful to friendly. We still bicker all the time, don’t get me wrong. But I do it out of love...and I’m pretty sure Pidge does it out of love too. They have a strange way of showing affection so I could be wrong._

_Pidge is a little more rebellious than Hunk and I. Clearly, they saw no issue with breaking into a university building to hack the mainframe. So, their moral compass is a little screwed up. After the three of us had hightailed it back to Hunk and I’s dorm room, I was expecting to see Pidge in high spirits. Our mission was successful, after all...if a little messy. But that wasn’t the case. Pidge was freaking out just as much as I was and when Pidge is freaking out, you should know things are pretty fucked up…_

 

\-----

 

“What the hell happened in there?!” Pidge yelled after Hunk had shut the door behind them.

 

Lance tore the bandana from his face and dropped it on the floor before sitting on his bed. He was still panting from running across the campus. He ran his hands through his hair a few times, trying to calm himself down enough to tell them what had happened.

 

“I may or may not have just assaulted an old guy.” He finally said, a guilty tone to his voice.

 

“I’m sorry.” Pidge said with a strained laugh. “But it sounded like you just said you assaulted the janitor but I know that can’t be right because the Lance that I know would never do something that stupid.” Pidge forced a fake smile on their face and Lance felt himself cringe.

 

“No,” Lance said quietly. “You heard correctly.”

 

Pidge’s face grew visibly red with anger and Lance braced himself.

 

“Before you freak out, Pidge!” Hunk cut in quickly with a shy smile on his face. “Maybe we should let Lance tell us what happened?”

 

Pidge glared at Lance for a moment before sighing and crossing their arms. “Okay, sure. Tell us what happened, Lance.”

 

Lance felt his shoulders relax, grateful that Hunk had spoken up. He took a moment to sort out his thoughts before speaking, “After I told Hunk that I’d buy him some time, I headed up to the second floor and found an open room. I just needed to distract the janitor long enough for the decryption to finish so I decided that a little game of cat and mouse would be fun. I marked the door and then went up to the third floor where the janitor was. He saw me, he chased me back to the second floor, I eventually lost him.” Lance swallowed once before continuing. “When I thought I was safe I radioed Hunk to see if he was done. He said he was and I tried to tell him that I’d meet him outside but that janitor found me and just...tackled me. I tried to get away but I couldn’t so I panicked...and hit him...on the head...with my fake gun…”

 

As Lance finished he dropped his eyes to the ground, not wanting to see Pidge’s reaction. They were scary enough just acting normal; no way did he want to see how scary they were when they were angry.

 

When Pidge did speak their voice was low and dangerous sounding. “You pistol-whipped the old night janitor?”

 

Lance didn’t trust himself to speak so he just nodded.

 

“What the fucking hell?!” Pidge screamed, their voice filling up the entire room. “You must’ve been dropped as a child!”

 

Lance felt something inside him snap at Pidge’s words. He felt his face grow hot and he sprang up from the bed. He was not going to take this lying down. “What would you have done?!” He yelled at Pidge, shooting them with a look of daggers.

 

“Not pistol-fucking-whip an old guy!” They yelled back, returning the look.

 

“You weren’t there! I had no choice! I didn’t want to get kicked out! Or worse! Arrested!”

 

“Guys,” Hunk said gently. “Can we please-”

 

“In case you didn’t know, assaulting someone is _much_ worse than breaking and entering!” Pidge fired back at Lance, effectively cutting Hunk off.

 

“Arrested is arrested!” Lance shouted, grabbing his hair in frustration. “None of this would’ve happened if you had gone inside instead of making us do your dirty work!”

 

“Guys…” Hunk tried again.

 

“Oh so you’re blaming me?!”

 

“Yes! Of course I’m blaming you!”

 

“Guys!” Hunk yelled, his calm demeanor replaced with one of annoyance. “This isn’t helping! What’s done is done.”

 

“But-” Pidge said.

 

“No buts!” Hunk said sternly. “You guys need to cool down. We’ll talk about this in the morning. Pidge, goodnight.”

 

Pidge still looked furious but they knew that Hunk was right. They shot one more glare at Lance before huffing and leaving the room.

 

Lance stood with his arms crossed, anger still bubbling inside him. He knew he shouldn’t have exploded like that at Pidge but he was too irritated to feel sorry for it right now. What gave Pidge the right to yell at him anyway?

 

“Lance.” Hunk said. “Drop it. Pidge won’t be so mad in the morning, I promise.” Hunk gave Lance a reassuring smile. “They were just worried about you. That’s why they got so angry.”

 

Lance felt his energy drain as what Hunk said processed in his mind. “They were...worried about me?” He asked, his voice sounding small.

 

Hunk nodded. “They’d never admit that but yeah. Pidge would’ve felt real guilty if something had happened to you inside that building.”

 

Lance suddenly felt guilty himself for having yelled at them. “I...didn’t know…”

 

Hunk shrugged lightly. “Then you can apologize when you see them tomorrow.”

 

Lance smiled at Hunk. He’d always been the more practical of the two. “What would I do without you, buddy?”

 

Hunk shrugged again with a laugh. “Who knows?”

 

\-----

 

_...I wish that fight had never happened. At the time, it hadn’t seemed like that big of a deal. Pidge got mad, I was going to apologize, we would move on. Easy. No Problem. Except it wasn’t that easy._

_If I had known that fight would be the first step towards disaster I would’ve handled it differently. But I didn’t know. How could I have known? -Lance_

 

\-----

 

Keith noticed that this letter was shorter than the others and he wondered if Lance had had a hard time writing it. He could feel the pain Lance was experiencing as he read the last few sentences of the letter.

 

Keith wasn’t sure what to think of Lance. From his letters he seemed like a genuinely good guy. Maybe a little overzealous and spontaneous but good. Lance seemed like the kind of person that cared for his friends. Keith had a hard time thinking that Lance could do anything that would put his relationship with his friends in jeopardy.

 

But Lance’s pain had been real and no matter what Keith wanted to believe, he couldn’t escape the fact that Lance had done something wrong. He didn’t know what yet, but he was determined to find out. Keith knew it was quite possible that no one would listen to Lance’s side of the story except for him. Even if Lance didn’t know it, Keith would hear him out. He thought Lance deserved that much at least.

 

Keith set the letter on his bed and went to grab his sketchbook from his bag but was stopped short by Shiro’s voice calling from the other room.

 

“Keith! Can you come help me with something?”

 

Keith glanced at the letter. Looks like his newest sketch was going to have to wait. He opened the door to his room and headed towards the sound of Shiro’s voice. He rounded the corner and stopped short at the sight in front of him.

 

“What the hell is going on in here?” He asked, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer.

 

Shiro stood in the center of the room, one hand on his hip and the other nowhere to be found. He was glaring at Matt who was laying on the couch, clutching his stomach in laughter. Keith hadn’t even realized Matt had come over.

 

“Just tell me where you hid it.” Shiro demanded, clearly frustrated. Matt didn’t respond, instead laughing harder than he had just been.

 

“Shiro?” Keith asked. “What happened to your arm?” Shiro had worn a mechanical prosthetic as long as Keith had known him and he’d only seen him with it off a handful of times. Keith had asked Shiro once why he never took it off. Shiro had told him that it was easy to take off but difficult to put back on.

 

“You could ask him.” Shiro said sharply, gesturing to Matt. Matt, however, hadn’t gained control of himself yet so Keith just gave Shiro a confused look. Shiro sighed, dragging a hand down his face in irritation. “He hid my arm somewhere in the apartment and I can’t find it.”

 

Knowing Matt, that didn’t surprise him at all. Keith did his best to swallow the laugh that threatened to burst out of him. “How did he even manage to take it in the first place?” Keith asked, trying not to smile.

 

“He fell asleep!” Matt answered, trying to catch his breath.

 

“Shiro…” Keith said, trying to sound sympathetic. “You of all people should know that you should never fall asleep around Matt.”

 

“I know!” Shiro said, annoyed. “But I was up at four today for work so you can imagine how tired I was.”

 

“Okay, okay.” Keith said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll help you look for your arm.”

 

And that’s what Keith did. He spent the next hour moving from room to room in their apartment, looking for Shiro’s arm. Matt had refused to help them, not that Keith had expected him to. Keith didn’t think it would be that hard to find. It was a mechanical arm, after all. It wasn’t an easy thing to overlook.

 

Both Keith and Shiro were at their wits end when they eventually found it on top of the fridge...the one place Keith had neglected to look on his first walk through of the kitchen. Shiro had grabbed the arm, mumbling swears under his breath, and retreated to his room to reattach it. Keith had a feeling he wouldn’t be seeing him for awhile.

 

Keith had decided to go kick Matt out. That would make him feel better. He entered the front room to find that Matt was nowhere to be seen. That wasn’t good. Keith had a feeling he knew where Matt was and he could feel anxiety settle into the bottom of his stomach.

 

He dashed to his room and threw the door open, hoping that Matt had just decided to go home. No such luck.

 

Matt was seated casually on Keith’s bed, Lance’s letter that Keith had left on his bed in his hands. Matt had a curious look on his face and he lifted his head at the sound of Keith opening the door.

 

“So,” He asked, a mischievous tone to his voice. “Who’s Lance?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	9. Connections

Keith felt panic start to take hold of him. He did not want to tell Matt what was going on. In an act of desperation, Keith crossed the room to where Matt was sitting and yanked the letter out of his hand.

 

“Did you read it?” Keith demanded.

 

Matt gave Keith a lazy smile. “I’m not a monster, Keith. I just wanted to see who it was from.”

 

Keith felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Keith let out a breath before sitting down on the bed next to Matt, folding the letter up and putting it back in the envelope. Matt leaned back on his hands, fixing Keith with another one of his curious gazes.

 

“So...you gonna tell me who this Lance is?” Matt asked.

 

Keith knew that Matt wouldn’t stop asking until he was given a proper answer and Keith had to admit that he wasn’t in the mood for that. And Keith had never known Matt to be a gossip. Nosy? Yes. A tad evil? On occasion. But never a gossip. Keith ran a hand through his hair and decided to give Matt a half truth, leaving out the part about how he had no idea how he was getting the letters.  

 

“I don’t know who he is. We’ve never met.”

 

“What, does he live far away or something?” Matt asked.

 

“Something like that.” Keith admitted.

 

“Hmm...so he’s like a pen pal. He writes to you, you write to him.”

 

“Uh...not quite.” Keith said, a slight blush growing on his face. “He writes to me but I don’t write back.”

 

“What?” Matt said, leaning forward to look at Keith directly in the eyes. “So this guy takes time to write to you and you don’t write back? Why?”

 

“It’s...complicated.” Keith said lamely. “He’s a very complicated person.”

 

Matt gave Keith a look that said he wasn’t buying it but dropped the subject. Instead he said, “Ya know, I know a guy named Lance. He’s friends with my sib. Nice guy...a little overexcited sometimes but nice.”

 

“Sounds a lot like the Lance I know.” Keith said, staring down at the envelope in his hands with a soft smile.

 

Matt chuckled at that. “Maybe it’s a requirement if you’re named Lance.”

 

“Maybe.” Keith said with a slight nod.

 

“Hey, so have you started working on your piece for the competition yet?” Matt asked, changing the subject.

 

“I went into the studio yesterday.” Keith replied with a shrug. “It’s started but I’m not entirely sold on the idea yet.”

 

“Ah, the woes of an artist.” Matt said dramatically. “I’m sure whatever you submit will be top notch.” Matt pulled out his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. “Damn...it’s that time already? I have to get to work.”

 

Matt stood up from Keith’s bed and walked towards the door. He turned back to Keith before he shut the door.

 

“By the way, you should think about writing back to whoever this Lance guy is. Even if things are complicated, I’m sure he’d love to hear from you.” And with that Matt shut the door.

 

Keith was left sitting in a stunned silence on his bed. One minute Matt could be the definition of a nuisance and the next he would throw some life advice at Keith that would make his brain hurt.

 

Write back to Lance? Would he even get it? Keith didn’t know but he knew there was only one real way to find out. Was he brave enough to try? What would he say? What if Lance stopped sending the letters after that? What if Lance hated him? Keith had grown used to finding the letters randomly throughout his day. He liked reading Lance’s story and was curious to see how it ended.

 

Keith looked at the board on his wall where he had pinned the previous drawings. His eyes roamed from drawing to drawing, lingering on his version of Lance. He didn’t know what the real Lance looked like and Keith wasn’t sure he was ready for his fantasy Lance to crumble. He didn’t think he could let go of the Lance in his head just yet.

 

\-----

 

Lance was seated in the Five Lions Cafe, enjoying a cup of his favorite coffee and trying to write a paper. It wasn’t going well so far. He kept getting distracted by a certain guy in a red jacket. He found his mind continuously wandering back to the stranger he had seen yesterday. Part of him wished he had followed the man, hit him with a cheesy pick up line or asked for his number. But the other part of him said that some things were better left to daydreams. Lance shook his head, trying to force the images of the stranger in red out of his mind and tried to focus on the task at hand.

 

The paper was due tomorrow for his writing class which he was not looking forward to. It was his hardest class. It also didn’t help that a certain stuck-up prick was in that class. Lance really hated that guy.

 

It was also the day that he saw Pidge and Hunk. Well, actually, he saw Pidge and Hunk three times a week since the class met three times a week, but lately Lance had only been going to the monday classes. He knew it was bad to skip classes but the professor really didn’t seem to care who was and wasn’t there and the thought of getting the cold shoulder treatment from his two closest friends three times a week was more than Lance could bear. He deserved it, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

 

Lance took a another sip of his coffee and stared at the one sentence he had typed in the half an hour he had been there. No part of him wanted to write this essay but he also didn’t want to fail the class. Lance grit his teeth and started typing.

 

Fifteen minutes later he heard the door chime and someone call his name.

 

“Lance! I was just talking about you!”

 

Lance turned to see Matt approaching his table with a wide smile on his face. Lance was pretty sure Pidge hadn’t told Matt what had happened between them because Matt treated him the same as he always had.

 

“Talking about me to who?” Lance asked.

 

Matt waved a hand dismissively. “You wouldn’t know him but I promise it was all good things.”

 

“Thanks? I think?” Lance replied. “Here to work?”

 

“Yeah.” Matt said with a sigh. “Gotta pay rent somehow.” Lance saw Matt glance at his laptop screen which now had a full introduction paragraph on it. “Whatcha working on?”

 

“Just a stupid paper for school.” Lance replied. “You wanna trade? I’ll work and you can write my paper.”

 

Matt snorted sarcastically, “In your dreams.”

 

“Matt!” Allura called from behind the counter. “Are you planning on working today or just talking with Lance?”

 

“Be right there!” Matt called in an overly sweet voice. “Duty calls.” Matt said as a farewell to Lance before heading towards the counter.

 

Lance watched him go before turning back towards his laptop. Lance felt his eyes widen as he spotted sketch paper lying over the top of his keyboard. There was no way this was possible. He had only looked away for a moment. He glanced around the cafe, hoping that no one had seen the mysterious drawing appear out of nowhere. No one seemed to even be looking in his direction.

 

Lance turned his attention back to the sheet of paper and picked it up. He flipped it over and came face to face with a scene he’d rather forget about. Lance saw an angry Pidge standing by the door to his dorm room. They had a red face and their hands were balled into fists at their sides. Hunk was standing off to the side, hunched over with his hands up and a nervous smile on his face. He looked like he was approaching a wild animal. Lance himself was standing by his bed, still decked out in his spy gear minus the bandana. He was grabbing his hair in frustration, his knuckles bone white.

 

Lance didn’t look at the drawing for long. He didn’t want to. He knew what came after that fight and he wasn’t quite ready to face it yet.

 

Lucky for him he still had a few more letters to go before things started getting bad. Lance shut his laptop, giving up on the paper for now. He bent over and retrieved his notebook and a pen from the bag by his feet, depositing the new drawing while he was at it.

 

He opened the notebook and set it on the table in front of him. He bit the cap off his pen and started writing.

 

_Dear Keith,_

_The next morning came and Hunk and I went to meet Pidge like we normally did. I was prepared to apologize...I may or may not have rehearsed it in the bathroom mirror a few times. So I was ready to go! I was going to apologize for being reckless and then we were finally going to find out that prick’s name…_

 

\-----

 

Hunk and Lance exited their dorm building the next morning to meet Pidge in their usual spot. Lance was slightly worried they wouldn’t be there; they had been pretty mad last night. But Lance’s worries were unwarranted when he spotted a small figure with wild brown hair waiting for them.

 

“Pidge!” Lance called, excitement and nerves causing him to act a little frantic.

 

Pidge looked up from the phone they were holding in their hands at the sound of their name. Lance half jogged over to them, Hunk not far behind.

 

“Pidge.” Lance said again as he got closer to Pidge.

 

“Lance.” Pidge replied, a curious eyebrow raised at Lance’s excitement.

 

“Listen,” Lance said. “I was thinking about what happened last night-”

 

Pidge cut him off by holding up their hand. “If you’re about to apologize, there’s no need. We were both stupid. Can we just chalk it all up to adrenaline?” A small smile formed on Pidge’s face.

 

Lance couldn’t help the wide grin that spread across his face. “Absolutely.” Hunk had been right. Things were much easier to deal with in the morning.

 

“I knew you guys would be okay.” Hunk said satisfactory.

 

“Should we hug it out?” Lance asked teasingly.

 

Pidge took a large step away from Lance. “Touch me, McClain, and I’ll make sure you fail all of your classes.”

 

Lance and Hunk both laughed which caused Pidge to roll their eyes. Lance was glad things were back to normal.

 

“Anyway, I did some digging this morning and I found the name of the guy in our class.” Pidge said.

 

“Really?” Lance said, slightly impressed. “That was fast.”

 

“I’m not an ameture at this.” Pidge said matter of factly. They held up their phone for Lance and Hunk to see. Lance recognized the beautiful face in front of him and he felt a surge of irritation flow through him. “His name is Lotor.”

 

“Lotor?” Lance asked with a smug laugh. “What kinda name is that?”

 

“Uh, my name is two letters away from being a type of bird, Hunk’s is a type of guy you find on a beach-”

 

“It’s true.” Hunk said with a nod.

 

“And yours is a medieval weapon. I don’t think we have much room to talk about funny names.”

 

Lance shrugged. “At least ours are cool sounding. Lotor? More like _Lame_ tor!”  

 

“Oh, nice one, buddy!” Hunk said, raising his hand and giving Lance a high five.

 

“...let’s go get some coffee before you embarrass yourselves anymore.” Pidge said flatly.

 

Pidge started walking away before the other two could object. Hunk and Lance followed them, still snickering and muttering “Lametor” to each other.

 

Soon they had reached the quad of the campus and the trio stopped abruptly at the sight that was in front of them. The campus police were fanned out all over the campus, talking to students who were on their way to class and handing out what looked like flyers.

 

“Stay here, guys. I’ll be right back.” Hunk said seriously before approaching one of the officers closest to them. Lance could feel his heart pounding in his chest and he thought he might faint. He tried to swallow his fear, tell himself that something else had probably happened last night. Nothing worked. He could feel himself start to spiral. Neither Pidge nor Lance spoke until Hunk had returned, paper in hand.

 

“Bad news, guys.” Hunk said nervously holding up the paper for the two to see. Lance stared in horror at his own masked face sketched on the paper in front of him. It didn’t look exactly like him but it was close enough for Lance to tell. Without a doubt the campus police were looking for him.

 

“Can I apologize now?” Lance heard himself say, his voice coming out cracked.

 

“Yep.” Pidge replied, sounding just as horrified as Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Do you know what I wasn't expecting? You guys to jump on the Matt hate band wagon so quickly. I mean, I guess I should've seen it coming. Looking back, I can 100% see where you guys are coming from. Anyway, I decided to put out this chapter pretty quickly more for Matt's sake than my own. Also, I really hate cliffhangers. TV shows, books, anything like that with cliffhangers are my worst nightmare. So...you're welcome I suppose.  
> Just a quick update: I still have no idea how many chapters this is going to be. I do have everything planned out but I try to write about 2K words per chapter so I'm not sure how many chapters it's gonna take to get to the end. I also like to add in stuff as I go. I can tell you that we still have a ways to go though.  
> As always, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	10. Forward Motion

Lance grabbed the paper out of Hunk’s hand, pulling it closer so he could read the small print below the picture of him.

 

“Wanted for breaking and entering and _battery_ ?!” Lance read off the paper. “Oh man, this is bad. Like really really _really_ bad.” Lance felt like he was seeing his life flash before his eyes.

 

“Yes, yes it is.” Hunk said. Lance shot his friend a glare but Hunk ignored it and kept talking. “But, the picture doesn’t look _that_ much like you and your face was mostly covered. There’s a good chance no one will ever know it was you. I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.” Hunk smiled comfortingly.

 

“Yeah, that’s easy for you to say.” Lance said tensely. “Your face isn’t on the wanted poster!”

 

“I think Hunk’s got a point.” Pidge said, taking the paper away from Lance so they could get a better look at it. “I bet the only reason they are even looking for you is because that night janitor wants to press charges.”

 

“Ya know, strangely enough that doesn’t make me feel better!” Lance said sharply.

 

“My point is,” Pidge continued. “That this should all blow over in a couple of days.”

 

“You think?” Lance asked hopefully.

 

“Think about it, Lance.” Hunk said. “That night janitor is old. No one really cares what old guys think. They’re probably just doing this little man hunt to appease him so he doesn’t sue the university or something.”

 

Lance glanced at the paper still in Pidge’s hands, feeling slightly better. “Okay, you guys are right. I just need to let this whole thing blow over.”

 

“Exactly.” Pidge said, folding the paper up and putting it in their pocket. “Now, let’s go get some coffee and then go to class.”

 

“Yeah,” Lance agreed. “Coffee sounds amazing right about now.”

 

\-----

 

Lance, Pidge, and Hunk were seated in their normal seats in the back of the classroom. Lance was not looking forward to the most boring class on his schedule but he had Pidge and Hunk with him so it was at least tolerable. It also helped that the caffeine from his coffee was starting to kick in, giving him the extra energy he needed to stay awake.

 

“Hey, look out.” Hunk said quietly to Lance. “Lametor’s headed this way.”

 

Lance felt his shoulders tense up and his temper flare. He was not in the mood to put up with any of his shit today.

 

“Hey, ant.” Lance heard Lotor’s smooth voice call. He sounded even more conceited than Lance remembered.

 

Lance looked up to see Lotor standing next to the seat Lance was in with one hand on his hip and his lips forming a devious smile. Lance felt like punching him in his perfect face.

 

“The name’s Lance.” Lance said, not even trying to hide his irritation.

 

Lotor pretended to not hear him. “I was walking across campus this morning and I saw the strangest thing.” His voice had a mocking undertone that set Lance’s nerves on edge. He did not like where this was going. He watched as Lotor reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a piece of paper. Lance felt himself freeze in place and his eyes grow wide. His anger was suddenly replaced with fear.

 

“What that?” Lance heard himself say but didn’t remember opening his mouth.

 

Lotor didn’t answer but just unfolded the paper and held it up for Lance to see. Lance felt his soul leave his body as he stared at the masked face on the paper. “This is you, right?”

 

Lance didn’t answer. Lance couldn’t think of an answer. He glanced at Hunk and Pidge who seemed just as fear-stricken as he was.

 

“Your silence says it all.” Lotor said, a victorious undertone to his voice.

 

“What’re you going to do?” Lance asked, his voice dry and cracked.

 

“Well,” Lotor said, leaning closer to Lance with a sly smirk on his face. “I could turn you in…” Lance felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach. “But what’s the fun in that? I won’t turn you over to the police, but you’re going to have to earn it. I’ll be in touch.”

 

And with that Lotor turned and walked away, leaving Lance speechless and more panicked than he had been the previous night.

 

“You, my friend,” Pidge said after a few moments of silence. “Are fucked.”

 

\-----

 

_...Pidge had never been more right in their entire life. I had entered a dangerous game with Lotor and currently, I was losing big time. I wasn’t going to give up though, I’m not a quitter. I just needed to play my cards right and at that moment, my cards where do whatever it takes to get Lotor off my back. - Lance_

 

_\-----_

 

Keith felt the letter drop out of his hands and fall to the floor. This couldn’t be possible. There was no way this was real.

 

Keith, leaving the letter where he had dropped it on the floor, quickly crossed his room to his desk. He was suddenly very grateful that he had a bad habit of not throwing things away. He yanked open the bottom door of his desk and pulled out the large stack of papers he’d collected since he moved into the apartment. Most of it was flyers that had been handed to him as he walked across campus or reference sheets from classes he had long since passed. He set the stack on his desk and started rifling through it, looking for one paper in particular.

 

His hands were shaking as he looked through the stack, his mind racing a mile a minute. About half way through the stack he stopped, his heart pounding against his chest and a sick feeling settling into his stomach. He pulled the paper out and stared at it, feeling like his whole world had just exploded.

 

He didn’t want to believe that he was looking at the masked face of Lance, wanted for breaking and entering and battery.

 

\-----

 

Matt leaned against the counter, bored. It was a pretty slow day and he wanted nothing more than to go home. He sighed dramatically as Allura emerged from the back of the cafe, carrying a tray of pastries and cookies to put on display.

 

Allura rolled her eyes at Matt’s obvious display. “I’m sure I can find something for you to do if you’re that bored.” She said, not really seeming to care about Matt’s woes.

 

“No, no, no.” Matt said quickly. “I’m fine.” He shot Allura an innocent smile.

 

She shook her head in return and went back to what she was doing. Matt looked around the cafe to make sure it was empty before saying something new.

 

“So, Keith and Lance, huh? I gotta admit. I didn’t see that one coming.”

 

“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She replied, remaining focused on her task.

 

“You can play innocent, Allura. That’s fine. And you can rest easy knowing that I won’t meddle...too much at least. But be careful, this may be a rabbit hole you don’t want to go down.”

 

“I can judge that for myself, Matt.” She said curtly.

 

“Of course, my apologies.” Matt said, a knowing smile on his face.

 

\-----

 

Lance shut his laptop, leaning back in his chair. There was a slight pounding in his head from staring that his computer screen too long. It had taken him way longer than he thought it would to complete his essay. He glanced as his phone to see that it was almost midnight. Tomorrow morning was going to be rough.

 

He stood up from his desk, feeling drained, and decided it was time to hit the hay. He knew that tomorrow wasn’t going to be a good day but it was better to bite the bullet and face it than stay up late to avoid it.

 

He quickly changed into a t-shirt and an old pair of sweat before pulling the covers down on his bed so he could climb in. Lance, having gotten used to the weirdness that was his life at the moment, wasn’t even that shocked to hear the sound of paper hitting the floor. He had been expecting it, after all.

 

Lance quickly turned the light on in his dorm room and spotted the paper just a few feet from his bed. He stooped to pick it up, feeling a little excited to see the latest installment on his life.

 

The sketch was of him seated, his posture rigid and a terrified look on his face. Lotor was standing over him, leaning towards him and holding up the wanted poster. Lance felt a surge of annoyance at the look on Lotor’s face. It was devious and made Lance’s skin crawl. He really fucking hated that guy.

 

Lance’s eyed drifted down to the bottom corner of the page, expecting to see the normal signature that still baffled him. It was there, just like every other drawing but there was something else that Lance didn’t expect. There was a tiny arrow pointing to the back of the page.

 

Lance, curiosity coursing through him, flipped the page over and was greeted with neat handwriting that read:

 

_Dear Lance,_

_I am real. -Keith_

 

Lance’s head was spinning. He had been right. Someone was reading his letters. No, not just someone. Keith was reading his letters. But how? This didn’t make any sense. Nothing made sense anymore.

 

\-----

 

Keith tossed and turned in the early hours of the morning. He was anxious, that was obvious. He couldn’t stop thinking about the wanted poster. Never had he imagined that he and Lance would go to the same university. The probability of that was so small that it was almost unbelievable.

 

That changed the game.

 

Not only did he now know there was a guy at his university named Lance that was writing letters to him, but he also knew that somehow Keith had been right about what he looked like. Or at least, as far as Keith could tell from the drawing on the poster.

 

Keith had debated with himself whether or not to do anything about this new information. Part of him didn’t want to do anything, afraid that if he reached out to Lance, Lance would stop sending the letters altogether; Keith would never know the ending to his story.

 

_“Even if things are complicated, I’m sure he’d love to hear from you.”_

 

That’s what Matt had said and Keith couldn’t get it out of his head. Keith knew there was a guy somewhere nearby that was suffering, lonely, and incredibly ashamed of something. Keith was the only one who knew Lance’s side of the story even though he didn’t know the whole story yet. What kind of person did that make Keith if he continued to let Lance suffer, believing he was completely alone?

 

Keith had decided it was time for him to act. He didn’t know why but he wrote his note to Lance on the back of his most recent sketch. It just seemed like the right place to put it. He didn’t know if Lance would get his message but he had to try. Lance needed to know he was no longer alone.

 

Now, Keith waited for a reply and thought about the face on the poster. He thought about the face on all of the sketches he had done that were now hanging on his wall. The Lance inside his head and the Lance in the real world were one in the same. Somewhere deep down Keith felt a stirring of something in him. Something he’d never felt before. Something that caused him to be awake at three in the morning worrying about the Lance on the other side of those letters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> I feel like a lot of stuff happened in this chapter so I hope I didn't overload it. Sorry if I gave you guys whiplash.  
> So this is chapter 10 and that's always a good place to acknowledge the fact that all of your guys' comments are just so freaking amazing. To see people as invested in this story as I am is just so heartwarming. Also, to those of you who say that they love the idea that I've come up with for this fic, or that my writing is beautiful, or that my attention to detail makes it easy to read I just want to thank you from the bottom of my fucking heart. It's enough for me to know you guys are enjoying the story and the fact that you guys are complimenting me personally just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy all the time. It's amazing!  
> Anyway, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated as stated above.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	11. Deciding to Write

Lance walked at an unusually slow pace to his morning class partly because it was seven-thirty in the morning on a monday, partly because he was walking towards his least favorite class of the week, but mostly because he was deep in thought about the note he had received the previous night. Sleep had not been easy for him; he couldn’t manage to shut his brain down long enough to fall asleep. All he could think about was this mysterious Keith. The Keith that now knew the first half of his story. The Keith that had been drawing snapshots of Lance’s life over the last couple of days. The Keith that somehow knew exactly what he looked like even though Lance was positive he’d never met anyone named Keith in his life. Things had become more than confusing for Lance.

 

He hadn’t written a letter back to Keith yet. What was he suppose to say? Did he just continue with his story like nothing had happened? Did he try to meet Keith? He didn’t even know where Keith lived. He could live on the other side of the country for all Lance knew.

 

And the question that swirled around in Lance’s head the most: Did Keith even want to meet Lance?

 

Up until this point, Lance had been writing the letters to appease his own conscious. Sure, it was cool that he received a drawing for every letter he wrote, but Lance had mostly considered it a weird phenomena, a trick of the universe. Now, he knew there was a real person behind those drawings and no matter how he looked at it, he had to admit that changed things.

 

He had drawn some unknown Keith into his personal problems without even considering the consequences. He could continue telling his story to Keith in some desperate act to fill the lonely hole that was drilled into his chest, or he could not and save Keith the trouble of hating him later on down the road like Pidge and Hunk now did. He knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to find Keith and figure out why his letters were reaching him, but he also didn’t want to burden anyone else with his mistakes.

 

Lance was torn, and no matter how he looked at the situation, there was no way he could decide. At least not this early in the morning. Maybe it was a problem that he should tackle when he wasn’t sleep deprived.

 

Lance reached the classroom, feeling conflicted and a little moody. He took a seat in the far corner of the classroom, far from where Pidge and Hunk sat and even farther from Lotor’s chosen seat. Here he could suffer through the class unnoticed. Who knows, maybe he’d even sleep through it.

 

He rested his elbow on the desk in front of him, placing his chin in his hand, and watched other tired looking students file into the classroom. He had no trouble picking out the ones that had also stayed up to finish the paper. He was sure he looked no better than them.

 

He could feel his insides clench as he saw the familiar figure with white hair enter through the doorway. He looked like he had walked straight out of a magazine like he always did. Lance could feel the usual anger start to boil inside him and it was all he could do to rip his eyes away, biting his tongue to keep from saying anything he’d regret.

 

Lance kept his eyes forward, not wanting to deal with the reality that was his life at the moment and, as such, was totally unprepared for the sound of someone sliding into the seat next to him. He flinched a little at the sudden smell that invaded his senses. There was only one person who smelled like that and they were the last person Lance wanted to talk to right now.

 

“Go away.” Lance said sharply, not looking at the person seated next to him. “Haven’t you done enough?”

 

“That remains to be seen.” Came the smooth reply. Lance glanced at Lotor for a moment and regretted it instantly. He was looking at Lance with his trademark condescending smile. “I mostly came to admire my own work. You truly look horrible.”

 

“Gloating won’t get you anywhere.” Lance replied, moments away from letting his anger get the better of him.

 

“Gloating?” Lotor asked innocently. “My dear Lance, I’m not gloating.” His voice was like honey and Lance could feel himself shudder at the malice hidden behind it. “I simply came to remind you that you’ve lost. You’ve lost everything.”

 

The anger drained from Lance as Lotor’s words sunk in, instead being replaced with a deep feeling of loneliness, of loss, of a million other emotions Lance couldn’t put a name to. He knew Lotor spoke the truth and admitting that to himself was like being stabbed in the gut.

 

“Leave me alone…” Was all Lance could manage to say but his voice was weak and cracked. He dropped his gaze to the desk in front of him, not trusting himself to look at Lotor without completely breaking down.

 

“That’s right, Lance.” Lotor replied, leaning closer to Lance and dropping his voice to a whisper. “You are alone. You’ve got no one.” Lance heard Lotor stand up with an evil chuckle. “See you around, Lance.”

 

As Lotor walked away, Lance did his best to pull himself together. He could feel water start to prick at his eyes, but he refused to cry. This was not the place to let Lotor get to him. Nothing Lotor said had been wrong. Lance had lost. Lance was alone. Lotor had beaten him and taken away everything Lance had cared about.

 

Well, everything except for one.

 

Lance didn’t think as he pulled out his notebook and a pen from his bag and started writing.

 

Lotor _was_ wrong. He wasn’t alone.

 

_Dear Keith,_

_I think part of me knew that someone was reading my letters. I mean, the drawings were a bit of a giveaway I guess. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue telling my story at first. I mean, you’re a real person. You’re a real living, breathing person. But I decided that you deserve to hear how it ends. You’ve stuck with me this far at least._

_Before I continue though, I do want to say one thing:_

_This story doesn’t end well for me, as I’m sure you already know. It’s not a happy ending like in a movie. This is real life and in real life there are consequences to your actions. I learned that the hard way. If you decide to read the rest of my story I would be truly grateful. It’s nice not to feel so alone. But, that being said, I wouldn’t blame you if you choose to stop. No hard feelings. I completely understand._

_Now, on with the story…_

 

\-----

 

Lance paced back and forth nervously, his eyes darting up every few seconds, expecting to see Lotor. The trio had retreated to a more secluded part of the campus after class to discuss the Lotor situation.

 

“What am I going to do?” Lance asked, panic causing his voice to raise a couple octaves. “ _What am I going to do?_ ”

 

“Honestly, I think you might just want to skip town.” Pidge said from the ground where they were seated, watching Lance pace.

 

“You think?” Lance asked, sounding almost hopeful at Pidge’s suggestion.

 

“I dunno.” Hunk chimed in. He was seated next to Pidge on the grass, leaning back on his hands. “Lotor seems like the kinda guy that won’t rest until he’s gotten what he’d wanted. He’ll probably track you down. I don’t think running is your best option.”

 

Lance pulled at his hair desperately as he walked back and forth in front of his two friends. “What if he wants me to do something bad? What if he wants me to do something illegal?!”

 

“Well, you kinda already did something illegal so…” Pidge said with a shrug.

 

Lance shot a quick glare at them. “You’re not helping.”

 

“Maybe you’re freaking out for no reason.” Hunk suggested, trying to ease Lance’s worrying. “Maybe he doesn’t want you to do anything bad.”

 

“Are you kidding?” Lance asked, his voice becoming more hysterical. “You saw how he acted today. He probably wants me to rob a bank or kidnap somebody or…” Lance froze mid step and gave his friends a horrified look.

 

“Or what?” Pidge asked.

 

“Or _kill someone!_ ” Lance whispered even though no one else was around.

 

“Okay, hold on.” Pidge said, sighing a little. “You’re being ridiculous. Lotor might be evil but he’s not insane. He wouldn’t ask you to kill someone.”

 

“But how do you know?!” Lance asked, pointing a finger at Pidge.

 

“Okay, buddy.” Hunk said calmly. “I think Lotor has really gotten into your head. Look, there’s nothing you can do about it now. You’re just going to have to wait and find out. And even if it is something bad like breaking into another building, we got your back.”

 

Lance had to admit that did make him feel a little better. Knowing he wasn’t entirely alone in this mess was a comfort. Lance, feeling his panic fade away slightly, sat down next to Hunk on the grass.

 

“Yeah.” Lance said. “You’re right…” Hunk gave him a warm smile in return but it was Pidge who spoke.

 

“Changing the subject, I thought you guys might like to know I’ve made a breakthrough with my VI.”

 

“What?” Hunk said excitedly, sitting up straighter. “I didn’t think you were working on it!”

 

“Well, I wasn’t.” Pidge admitted with a slight shrug. “But I was really pissed off last night and I work best when I’m angry.”

 

“You’re welcome.” Lance said proudly, crossing his arms and shooting Pidge one of his trademark smiles.

 

Pidge just rolled their eyes and ignored him. “Anyway, I should have it finished within the next week.”

 

“That’s just in time!” Hunk practically shouted, bouncing slightly.

 

“Just in time for what?” Lance asked, curiously.

 

“Every fall the engineering program holds a little competition for the students. It’s mostly just to showcase what we’ve worked on over the summer, but the winner does get a pretty sweet prize.”

 

“A chance to meet Alfor himself!” Hunk practically shouted at Lance.

 

“Who?” Lance asked, feeling a little lost.

 

“Alfor.” Pidge said. “He runs one of the largest tech companies in the world: Altea. He’s an alumni here so he agrees to meet the winner of the competition to potentially buy their creation.”

 

“It’s basically a jumpstart into the field. All the past winners of this competition have gone on to be super successful.” Hunk explained.

 

“Wait, if this is such a big deal, why haven’t I heard of it before?” Lance asked.

 

“Probably because every time we start talking about engineering crap you tune us out.” Pidge said flatly.    

 

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Lance agreed. “Do you really think your VI could win?”

 

Pidge shrugged. “I dunno. This competition is pretty competitive and I’m not the only genius at this school...but if I can finish it, it has a pretty good chance.”

 

“I figured you’d be more excited.” Lance commented, eyeing Pidge suspiciously.

 

“I don’t want to get my hopes up.” Pidge explained. “I mean, meeting Alfor would be a dream come true but…”

 

“But nothing!” Lance said, standing up determinedly. “You are winning this thing whether you like it or not!” Lance glared at Pidge, daring them to challenge him.

 

“And how exactly are you going to make that happen?” Pidge asked, raising an eyebrow at Lance with an amused expression on their face. “You don’t exactly have the skill set needed to help me.”

 

Lance let out a curt laugh before saying, “I’m your moral support of course! No way you’ll lose with me backing you!”

 

“Alright, McClain.” Pidge said, standing up and holding out a hand towards Lance. “Let’s win this thing.”

 

Lance took Pidge’s hand and shook it. “You got it.”

 

\-----

 

_...I have to admit that having something else to focus on other than Lotor and the whole being hunted by the police thing was nice. I’d never cared much about engineering but this was important to Pidge, I could tell. It was the least I could do to support them after I had royally screwed things up the night before._

_You might have an idea as to where all of this is going and you’re probably right. But I told you things get crazy and, unfortunately, I wasn’t lying. -Lance_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> I do feel the need to apologize for the longer than usual wait. I had some real life stuff to deal with believe it or not. Thank you for your patience.  
> I should also warn you that school has started for me and it looks like it's going to be a pretty busy semester. So, I will try my hardest to post once or twice a week, maybe more if I get some free time. I do currently have another ongoing fic but I started this one first so it gets priority. Lucky for you guys, right?  
> Anyway, any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated as always.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	12. Encounter

“Keith!”

 

Keith was startled awake by a pounding on his bedroom door followed by Shiro’s yelling. His eyes flew open, immediately flashing to the alarm clock on his nightstand which was blaring annoyingly at him. Keith frantically untangled his arm from his covers and turned the alarm off before replying to Shiro in a rough voice.

 

“I’m up!”

 

Keith heard the doorknob turn and watched through tired eyes as Shiro poked his head in. “Your alarm was going off for like twenty minutes.” It was a simple statement but Keith knew that there was more behind it. Shiro had a tendency to worry about anything and everything. Keith was well aware of the question that accompanied his statement.

 

“Sorry. I just had a late night.” Keith explained, once again electing to tell Shiro a half truth. Keith had meant for his explanation to ease Shiro’s mind but instead it seemed to have the opposite effect. Shiro opened Keith’s door wider and stepped all the way into the room, his expression becoming more concerned.

 

“Was it school related? Are your classes stressing you out? You aren’t falling behind, are you?”

 

Keith held up a hand to silence Shiro’s questions and said, “No, no everything's fine, I promise.” It probably wasn’t the answer Shiro had been looking for but Keith was too tired to think of a better reply.

 

Shiro looked skeptical as he said, “If you say so…anyway, you better get moving if you don’t want to be late.” He gestured to Keith’s alarm clock. Keith reluctantly looked at it and cringed at the time. At this point it would be a miracle if he got to class on time.

 

“I’m leaving for work.” Shiro said, turning to exit the room. “Oh and I’m bringing Allura home for dinner tonight.”

 

“That’s fine...just no Matt, okay?” Keith didn’t think he could handle another piece of life advice right now.

 

“Oh, believe me.” Shiro said, a touch of irritation in his voice. “I hadn’t planned on inviting him tonight...or any night for the foreseeable future.” And with that Shiro left his room, shutting the door behind him.

 

Keith immediately threw the covers off of him and dashed quickly to the bathroom connected to his room. He glanced in the mirror, an irritated sigh escaping his lips. There was no hope for his hair today; his bedhead was worse than usual due to all the tossing and turning he’d done the previous night and there was no way he had time for a shower. He quickly brushed his teeth, already having decided that breakfast was out of the question for this morning. After that it was only a matter of throwing on the first clothes he touched, grabbing his black emergency beanie to cover his wild hair, and slipping his jacket on before he was out the door and speeding down the road on Red towards the university. Keith had a feeling he was the definition of “rolled out of bed”.

 

Fifteen minutes later Keith arrived almost breathless to his first class of the day. He had made it on time, if only barely. He took his seat in the lecture hall, feeling a sense of relief, and opened his bag to pull out his notebook.

 

He felt his heart seize when he saw the envelope tucked away in his bag. This had to be it. Lance’s response. Keith found himself hesitating. Had his note even reached Lance? What would Keith do if it hadn’t? What would Keith do if it had?

 

Keith took a deep breath before pulling out the envelope and opening up the letter. Keith tentatively read the first few lines and right away he felt like he’d been hit by a bus.

 

“ _I think part of me knew that someone was reading my letters. I mean, the drawings were a bit of a giveaway I guess…”_ Keith muttered under his breath to himself, trying to make the words he was reading sound real. There was no doubt in his mind that Lance was referring to Keith’s sketches. What else could Lance be talking about? Keith was left with a truth that made him both curious and panicked: Much like how Keith was receiving Lance’s letters, Lance had been receiving Keith’s drawings in return.

 

Looking back on it Keith figured he shouldn’t have been that surprised. He still had no explanation for how this letter and drawing sharing was happening. It was a weird phenomena that Keith had come to accept so why couldn’t it have been a two way street? Keith did wonder why Lance hadn’t mentioned the drawings in his letters before. It seemed like a weird detail to leave out of their strange relationship.

 

Questions swirled around Keith’s mind, causing him to feel like he was in a trance. What was happening to him and Lance? Why were they connected in such a bizarre way? What was the purpose of it all? Was this the universe just playing some dirty trick on them? And one question kept popping up in Keith’s mind more than any other:

 

Did Lance want to meet him?

 

Keith had no way of knowing and that scared him more than it should. Sure, over the course of the last few days Keith had come to feel sorry for the guy. Clearly he was lonely. But that didn’t mean Keith was necessarily the solution to all his problems. Plus, Keith still didn’t know what Lance had done that was so bad.

 

Keith stared blankly at the unread letter in his hands. He could faintly hear the instructor droning on about something Keith was sure he didn’t care about. Keith’s mind, however, was racing as he came up with a plan. He knew what Lance looked like and he was almost positive Lance didn’t know what he looked like. Keith also knew he was an astrophysics major and that he lived on a dorm somewhere on campus. That gave Keith a few ideas as to where to look for Lance.

 

Keith wasn’t sure what he was going to do if he saw Lance. He hadn’t gotten that far. More than anything Keith needed to know he was real. He needed to see Lance with his own two eyes. Everything else could come later.

 

Keith, deciding that it was a good enough plan for now, refocused on the letter in front of him and began to read the next installment of Lance’s story.

 

\-----

 

After his final class had ended for the day, which was just before lunch, Keith ignored his growling stomach and decided to stake out the many science buildings of the university. It seemed as good a place as any to start. He had no idea if there was one particular building dedicated to astrophysics or astronomy but he did know where the cluster of science buildings were.

 

The walk was a short one even with the abundance of students rushing from one class to another. Keith kept a careful watch of the students around him, looking for one face in particular. As he reached the group of buildings, he searched for a good spot to set up camp. It didn’t take him long to spot a bench that was angled so that it was looking at most of the buildings in the cluster.

 

Keith sat down on the bench, setting his bag down beside him. It seemed like he had found the perfect spot. From here he could see the science buildings, only having to turn his head slightly to see the ones on the outskirts.

 

Keith wasn’t expecting much from his stake out. There was really only a slight chance that he’d spot Lance. But that didn’t stop his heart from pounding against his ribs with anticipation. He could feel a tension in his shoulders and his foot tapped eagerly against the pavement. His eyes darted from one face to the next, hoping that he would recognize it.

 

Keith had decided to not sketch Lance’s latest letter yet, not sure if he wanted to say anything to Lance. He figured that once he saw Lance he would know. He couldn’t explain why but he had this feeling that seeing Lance in person would make everything clear. Well, not everything. It certainly wouldn’t explain what was happening. But Keith still had a good feeling about it.

 

No one seemed to pay him any mind as they passed, too engrossed in their phones or talking to their friends. Some of the students looked exhausted and Keith suddenly was very grateful he wasn’t some sort of science major. Don’t get him wrong, being an art major definitely came with its fair share of stress and sleepless nights but add chemistry or biology to the mix and Keith was in hell.

 

The flow of students started to thin as the next classes began and soon the area was all but deserted, save for Keith. A soft breeze swept through the campus, stirring up the leaves that were spread on the sidewalk in front of him. He could feel the wind graze his face, jostling the few hairs that stuck out from under his beanie and framed his face. The campus seemed serene at that moment in a way that Keith had never experienced before.

 

He could feel his fingers start to itch and in moments he had pulled out his sketchbook and pencil case. A fleeting worry told him he could miss Lance while he was sketching but no one was around. Keith was pretty sure he wouldn’t have another chance at seeing Lance for at least an hour.

 

Keith began sketching the landscape in front of him, doing his best to transfer the tranquility of the moment to paper. He didn’t rush the sketch, trying to add as many details as he could. His pencil scraped across the paper, the only sound save the rustling of the leaves and his methodical breathing.

 

“Watcha drawing?”

 

Keith jumped up from the bench at the sound of a voice next to his ear, clutching the notebook to his chest out of fright. He’d been so engrossed in his sketch that he hadn’t even noticed someone approaching him. Keith turned, about to snap at the source of the voice for scaring him when he caught sight of the face. The face that he’d drawn so many times by now. A face that he’d only hoped to see.

 

Lance stood on the other side of the bench, his weight shifted to his right side and a slightly amused look on his face. Keith found himself speechless. He was not ready for this. Not by a long shot. Lance raised an eyebrow at Keith’s shocked face.

 

“You okay, man?” He asked, his voice slightly concerned. His voice was warmer than Keith had imagined. It seemed to resonate with a certain homely feeling, the likes of which Keith had never experienced before. Keith also noticed that his eyes were much bluer than he had drawn. It was like Keith was seeing the sky for the first time, unclouded and vast.

 

Keith wanted to stare at Lance longer but it occurred to him quite abruptly that Lance was waiting for Keith to respond. Keith cleared his throat, hoping that he had enough control to form coherent sentences.

 

“Uh...yeah, yeah I’m fine…” Keith replied lamely. Lance’s concerned gaze didn’t waver. Keith, feeling frantic and slightly hysterical, blurted out the first question that popped into his head. “Do you know me?"

 

Lance’s expression turned slightly embarrassed at his question. “No...not exactly. But you looked so focused on whatever you were drawing that I got curious…” Lance’s face grew red as he trailed off, making it slightly difficult for Keith to breathe.

 

“Oh…” Keith managed to choke out. “I was just…” Keith’s grip on the sketchbook that was still clutched against his chest tightened.

 

Lance let out a small laugh and shook his head. “Dude, you don’t have to show me. It’s fine.” That wasn’t what Keith was worried about but Lance had no way of knowing that. “So…” Lance said, his voice turning almost casual like he wasn’t completely ripping Keith’s world apart right now. “What’s your name?”

 

Sirens blared in Keith’s head. He really didn’t want to answer that question. Keith felt the moment his fight or flight response kicked in. His next sentences came spilling out of him before he could even form the words in his brain.

 

“I just remembered I’m late for something. I’ve gotta go. Bye.” Keith didn’t stick around long enough to see Lance’s reaction. He grabbed his things off the bench and was walking away from him before Lance had managed to utter a single world.

 

Keith resisted the urge to look back at Lance, not wanting to see the look of devastation that was no doubt on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> I'm sure you already know this but I'm gonna say it again anyway. Sorry. Any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated and extremely motivating.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	13. Heartbeat

Lance watched the stranger walk away, feeling slightly confused but mostly rejected. It had been a risk talking to him, and he shouldn’t have been too surprised at the outcome.

 

Lance had been running late to one of his classes when he had spotted the beautiful stranger from the other day sitting on the bench. He was wearing the exact same jacket as before, the red color slightly brighter than the leaves scattered around him. His hair was hidden by a hat but Lance could see the ends of it sticking out and resting softly against his collar. He was hunched over, his face holding a look of intense focus. From this angle Lance couldn’t see exactly what he was focused on but he could tell it had taken all of the stranger’s attention.

 

It had been an impulse decision to talk to the stranger. His curiosity and need for some form of companionship had propelled him towards the stranger, overpowering his better judgement. He hadn’t been quiet in his approach, his feet crunching the fallen leaves as he crossed the grass but not once did the stranger look up. As he drew near, he could see what the stranger was so focused on.  In his hands he held a small sketchbook and a pencil which was quickly flying over the page. Every few moments he’d shift the pencil over to his other hand, working on a different part of the page.

 

He hadn’t meant to scare him, but when Lance had reached the stranger that was exactly what had happened. The stranger’s face had turned pale, paler than it already was, like he’d seen a ghost. He was jittery when Lance tried to talk to him, almost uncomfortable, and Lance couldn’t help but take that a little personally. Sure, he might be tall but he was not an intimidating person. He had been told that all his life.

 

Lance could see the exact  moment where he had crossed the line. The stranger’s demeanor had went from uncomfortable to downright terrified as soon as Lance had asked for his name. Now Lance was watching the stranger’s back as he hurried away from the bench, leaving Lance alone to face the rejection.

 

It hurt more than he thought it would and he couldn’t quite figure out why. He didn’t even know the guy. Yeah, he looked like someone pulled straight out of a magazine but that shouldn’t have affected his mood so drastically. Lance felt the overwhelming urge to run after the guy and demand to know what he had said wrong, but he refused to move his legs. More than anything, Lance was tired.

 

He was tired of always doing the chasing and never being chased. He was tired of trying to make things right and never being listened to. He was tired of pretending that everything was okay when it was clearly not.

 

So, Lance stood his ground until the stranger was out of sight, trying his best to keep his emotions under control. It was only when the red jacket had disappeared around the corner of a building did he feel something inside him break. It was like the last string holding a fraying rope together had finally snapped, sending him tumbling into the abyss. He moved mechanically around to the other side of the bench and sat down, feeling like at any moment his knees would give out. He hunched over, gripping his hair in his hands to give his spiraling world some sort of stability. It didn’t take long before he felt hot tears fall down his face and stain his pants. There was a deep pain in his chest, an aching that consumed all of him. It made him want to curl up in his bed and hide from reality.  

 

Lance wasn’t sure how long he sat there, head in his hands and tears running down his face. He could hear the occasional rustle of the leaves at his feet and feel the wind tousle his hair. Any other day it would’ve been a calming sensation, but today it was more like a taunt. Each sound a reminder of the silence left behind by his friends, each gust of wind like daggers against his skin, sapping all warmth from him and leaving a deep chill which burrowed into his being.

 

After a while, when the tears dried up and his head stopped spinning, Lance glanced up at the campus in front of him. It looked the same as it had before. Nothing had changed, the world was ignoring Lance’s pain as it always did. Lance dropped his eyes to the ground and saw a piece of white sketchbook paper nudged under the toe of his shoe.

 

Wiping his hand across his face in an attempt to regain control of his emotions, Lance reached down and picked up the paper. On it was a drawing of Lance and Pidge shaking hands, Lance with a stupid grin on his face and Pidge looking determined. Hunk sat on the ground to the side of the two, resting back on his hands with an almost endearing smile on his face. Lance felt a new tear in his heart at the familiar scene.

 

Not wanting to look at the sketch any longer he flipped the page over, wondering if Keith had left him another message.

 

_Dear Lance,_

_I’m so sorry. You are not alone. -Keith_

 

Lance read Keith’s note over and over, trying to understand the meaning. Sorry for what? As far as Lance knew, Keith had nothing to be sorry for. Keith had listened to him when no one else would. Keith had been there constantly for him these last couple of days. Keith kept him going.

 

With a sigh Lance leaned back against the bench, more exhausted than he was before. He gripped the sketch close to his chest, feeling a slight warmth where there had previously been an emptiness, and thought over Keith’s words in his mind. He still had no idea how this was happening. How his letters were reaching Keith and Keith’s drawings were reaching him. He had no idea who Keith was or where he was but Lance was positive about one thing:

 

He was going to do whatever it took to meet Keith someday, even if only to thank him. He could only hope in the smallest part of himself that Keith would want to meet him too.

 

\-----

 

As soon as Keith had rounded the corner, sure that Lance wasn’t following him, he slammed his back against the wall of the building, dropping his bag next to his feet. He took a few moments to catch his breath and slow his rapidly beating heart. If it was possible to get whiplash from meeting a person, Keith was sure he got it.

 

Curiosity getting the better of him, he peered around the corner, hoping that Lance wasn’t looking this way. He had to make sure that it hadn’t all been a dream. That he had actually met Lance and had a conversation with him. Well, no, Lance had spoken to him and Keith had stuttered and gawked back at him. He didn’t think that counted as a conversation.

 

He spotted Lance now sitting on the bench, hunched over and shaking. Keith felt a wave of guilt punch him in the stomach. He’d done that. That was his fault. Keith wanted to go back over to him. He wanted to sit next to Lance and tell him everything was going to be okay. He wanted Lance to know he was there for him. But Keith found his legs wouldn’t move, certain doubts still eating away at him mind. Doubts like would Lance even want to meet him?

 

Keith, in an almost frantic state, dropped to his knees and ripped open his bag. He pulled out his sketchbook and pencil that he had stuffed into the bag only minutes before. He sat with his back to the wall and his knees up. The nice thing about drawing the scenes from Lance’s letters was that he’d drawn Lance, Pidge, and Hunk so many times by now that it was almost second nature to him. The sketch didn’t take him very long and soon he was pulling out his colored pencils to color and shade it properly.

 

The rushed sketch wasn’t his best work, but Keith needed the sketch to get to Lance sooner rather than later. He had occasionally peeked around the corner to see if Lance was still there, each time his heart breaking even more at the sight of a defeated Lance. As soon as it was presentable enough, Keith signed his name at the bottom and flipped the page over to scribble his short note to Lance. As soon as he finished writing the last letter of his name, he slammed the book closed, stuffed everything back in his bag, and waited.

 

He gave it three minutes simply because his curiosity wouldn’t let him wait around any longer, before standing and leaning around the corner. He saw Lance sitting upright for the first time, an almost calm look on his face, clutching something against his chest. Keith didn’t have to guess as to what that something was.

 

He felt a small smile form on his lips and a swell of warmth spread through him. It didn’t matter that Lance didn’t know who he was or that Lance might not even want to meet him. It didn’t matter that all Keith could think about was Lance and his sun-kissed skin, unreasonably blue eyes, and the enticingly smooth timbre of his voice. It did matter that Keith had no idea how he and Lance were connected.

 

Right now nothing else mattered except for the fact that at that very moment, as Keith gazed at Lance, inside his chest his heart was beating just a little bit faster and just a little bit harder.

 

\-----

 

“Aha!”

 

Matt jumped slightly at the sudden yell from the back of the cafe. He looked over his shoulder at the door leading to the back with a raised eyebrow. That was a sound he had never heard before.

 

“I think I should go check on Allura…” Matt said, his curiosity getting the better of him.

 

Nyma just waved her hand dismissively, still in conversation with the customer at the register. Matt took that as a “go ahead” and went to investigate.

 

As he entered the kitchen of the cafe he saw Allura talking excitedly to Coran who was nodding but continuing to work on his latest batch of oatmeal cookies.

 

“I felt it, Coran!”

 

“Are you sure it’s not just a false alarm? You said you felt it two days ago but then nothing.” Coran said.

 

“I’m sure of it! It was stronger this time and it lasted much longer.” Allura said, nodding her head affirmatively.

 

“And what exactly did you feel?” Matt asked from across the room. The two looked at him in surprise, obviously not realizing he was there. Neither one said anything, causing Matt to let out an irritated sigh. “When will you guys trust me? I already promised not to tell anyone.”

 

“Fine, fine.” Allura said. “I felt their…” She paused, trying to find the right word. “Connection.”

 

“Lance and Keith’s?” Matt asked. Allura nodded. “So what, they like met in real life?”

 

“I don’t know.” Allura replied, shaking her head.

 

“It’s not like she can tell if they’ve met physically or not.” Coran explained. “But whenever something happens to strengthen their bond Allura can feel it. The stronger the feeling, the stronger the bond.”

 

“So, what happened two days ago?” Matt asked.

 

Allura sighed, looking a little distraught. “I got a really strong feeling. Stronger than any of the other ones I’d felt before. But it was only for a few moments and then it was gone. I don’t know what happened but one of them had made a connection and then somehow reversed it. I’ve never felt something quite so sad…”

 

“So,” Matt said, trying to understand. “If one of them, were to say, start falling in love with the other…?”

 

“Yes, I would feel that.” Allura said.

 

“I see...” Matt said, the beginnings of a plan forming in his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hoped you enjoyed it!  
> So I'm sure you've noticed that the timeline has gotten even less linear than it previously was. For the last couple of chapters I've told a part of the story but when I switch point of views I'll go back a little and retell it from the other person's perspective. I'm doing it like this mostly for the character development, but I'm slightly worried that it might be confusing. I know what I'm trying to say but you obviously can't read my mind so I might not be making it as obvious as I could. If that's the case and you find yourself confused as to what's going on please please please let me know either by leaving a comment or messaging me on tumblr @canyoufeelthelagnsttonight. I will fix it to make more sense if that's the case.  
> That being said, any and all feedback about anything having to do with either this chapter or the fic as a whole is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	14. Only Him

_Dear Keith,_

_Part of me wishes that you could meet Lotor in real life. I just feel that no matter how I describe him it won’t do him justice. I guess the best way to describe him is to think of the the worst possible person and then times it by ten and bam! You’ve got yourself a Lotor. He’s a snake...a gorgeous snake but a snake nonetheless._

_If I had realized how vile he was sooner I might have just cut my losses and faced the consequences…_

 

\-----

 

“Here ya go, Lance. Careful, it’s pretty hot.” Coran said, setting the cup down on the counter.

 

“Thanks Coran.” Lance replied with a friendly smile, taking the cup and heading over to claim one of the window seats of the small cafe. He still had about an hour before Pidge and Hunk showed up. They both had some ridiculously advanced math class today but had agreed to meet Lance at the cafe afterwards. Lance, having nothing better to do with his life, decided to come early. It was better than stewing worriedly in his dorm about the Lotor situation.

 

It had only been yesterday that Lotor had threatened him but it felt like much longer. Lance’s head was constantly on a swivel, trying to spot the white-haired spawn of satan and hopefully avoid him as long as possible. Maybe Lance would get lucky and Lotor would forget about him. He realized that he was just giving himself false hope but without that he probably would’ve gone insane from the worry.

 

In truth, Lance was scared. He had no idea what Lotor wanted from him and that was what terrified him more than anything. How long would Lotor hold this over his head? What if Lance did what he wanted and Lotor still turned him in? Lotor held so much power over Lance and as of right now there was nothing Lance could do about that.

 

Lance sipped his coffee in quiet torment, watching as people passed by the cafe. The usual calming effect of the coffee seemed to be absent which only served to make Lance more nervous.

 

With a slight groan Lance dropped his head on the table in front of him, trying to drown out his thoughts by listening to the conversations around him. He heard the sound of the bell as the door opened and then Coran’s voice loudly from across the cafe.

 

“Shiro! Good to see you!”

 

“Same to you, Coran.” Came the reply from the man Lance assumed was Shiro. He had a steady, mature voice which was not the type of voice Lance had expected.

 

“Here to pick up Allura?” Coran asked.

 

“No, actually.” Shiro replied. “She left her bag at my place last night and I came by on my break to drop it off.” Shiro must’ve been Allura’s boyfriend.

 

“I’ll make sure to give it to her.” Coran said, sounding a little too jolly for the situation. Lance guessed he shouldn’t have been surprised, that’s just who Coran was. Lance lifted his head up a little to look at this mysterious Shiro. He was tall, taller than Lance had anticipated and extremely muscular. Lance could see why Allura liked him. He looked like he should have been on Baywatch. “And how’s your brother doing?”

 

“You know him.” Shiro said with a little laugh and a shrug. “He’s keeping busy. He’s been spending a lot of time in the studio lately.”

 

“That does sound like him.” Coran replied with a nod. “You should tell him to stop by. We haven’t seen him in awhile.”

 

“I’ll make sure to tell him.” Shiro responded easily. “See ya later, Coran.”

 

The conversation being over, Lance dropped his face back to the table, his mind wandering back to his fears. He heard the bell on the door tinkle again but didn’t look up. He figured it was Shiro leaving. What he didn’t expect was the chair across from him scoot and for somebody to sit down.

 

Lance glanced up and immediately felt the blood drain from his face. Luck was just not on his side lately. Lotor sat across from him, a mischievous smile on his face and an evil look in his eye. Lance wanted to vomit.

 

“Hello, Lance.” His voice was calm and smooth but it felt like someone was dragging barbed wire across Lance’s skin.

 

“How’d you find me?” Lance asked, trying his best to make his voice steady. It didn’t work so well.

 

“I don’t think you’re in a position to ask questions.” Lotor replied almost casually, the smile not falling from his face. Lance felt his insides clench at that. He had a feeling that he wasn’t going to enjoy this conversation.

 

Lance wanted to run. He wanted to get as far away from Lotor as possible. But Lance knew that would probably just make things worse for him. It was better just to get it over with. So, Lance held his tongue and just looked at Lotor, trying his best not to fidget, not wanting to show any weakness.

 

“Better.” Lotor said. “I have a little favor that I need you to do for me. It’s nothing hard. I’m sure even an ant like you can manage it.” Lance felt his heart start to beat too hard against his rib cage and he started to feel slightly nauseous. “Have you heard of the engineering competition being held next week?”

 

“I have.” Lance replied, forcing the words out.

 

“Good. I want to win, as I’m sure you can imagine and I think I’ve figured out the perfect way to do that. There’s been a rumor going around that your friend has figured out how to build a working VI.”

 

Lance felt his eyes grow wide at Lotor’s mention of Pidge’s project before he could stop himself. He tried to recompose his face but it was too late. The damage had been done.

 

“So it’s true.” Lotor said, a sly smile on his face. “Perfect. Once your friend has completed the VI...I want you to steal it for me.”

 

Lance felt his world shatter around him. Lotor was asking him to betray Pidge? Lance couldn’t do that. Pidge was one of his best friends. He knew how hard they had worked on this VI and if Lance were to take it from them? Lance didn’t even want to imagine what would happen. “Please!” Lance blurted out, any composure he’d had thrown out the window. “Don’t make me do this.” He didn’t care that he was begging. Hell, he’d drop down on all fours if that meant not having to steal from Pidge.

 

Lotor stood up, a smirk on his face. “I’m not making you do anything. The decision is entirely up to you.” Lotor turned to leave but stopped and instead said, “Oh, and one more thing: If you tell anyone about this, you’ll find the police knocking at your door.”

 

And with his last threat still hanging in the air, Lotor left Lance alone.

 

Lance sat motionless in his chair. His mind was blank and his limbs felt numb. He wanted to sink into the floor and just disappear. He wanted to go back in time and stop himself from trying to get revenge on Lotor at all. He wanted everything to stop.

 

But as usual time didn’t stop for Lance. Conversations still swirled around him. People still passed by the window he was seated next to, none of them aware of the turmoil that was circulating in him.

 

In the end, Lotor had been right. Lance did have a choice. He could either steal from one of his best friends, taking away their shot of winning and jumpstarting their career, or he could not and go to jail.

 

Yeah, life was definitely out to get him.

 

\-----

 

_...I told you. He’s a snake. -Lance_

 

Keith finished the letter and looked up at the canvas that was situated in front of him. He was seated on the stool in one of the studios. He’d wanted to work on his piece for Allura’s art competition but that plan had changed when he had found the letter tucked neatly next to his paints.

 

Once again Keith found himself blown away by how close Lance had been to him all this time. Lance had seen Shiro. Lance had heard Shiro talk about him. Keith remembered Shiro telling him to stop by the cafe. It seemed Keith and Lance were even closer than Keith had originally thought. They went to the same cafe for crying out loud. It was a miracle their paths hadn’t crossed much earlier.  

 

Setting that aside for the moment, Keith shifted his thoughts over to Lotor and Lance’s decision. It really was a shitty situation he had found himself in. Keith already knew the choice Lance made. He wasn’t in jail so that meant he stole the VI. Keith, however, couldn’t help thinking there was more to the story than that. Surely Pidge would’ve understood why Lance did it, right? Keith wasn’t sure.

 

Keith stood up with a sigh and placed the letter on the stool. He turned to the half painted canvas, feeling unsatisfied with it. It wasn’t a bad piece but Keith felt that it was just incomplete and not just in the “it was only half done” way. There was something missing from it. Keith couldn’t submit something like this. Not if he wasn’t absolutely sure it was perfect.

 

Keith grabbed the canvas off the stand and moved to lean it against one of the wall of the studio. Lucky for him he had brought a second canvas with him. He retrieved the new one and set it up, a new idea already forming in his mind. There was really only one thing he wanted to paint. Only one thing that was constantly on his mind. Only one thing that could win the competition.

 

And his name was Lance.

 

\-----

 

Lance had waited to write his next letter to Keith. At first it was because his emotions were running wild. He couldn’t seem to muster up the strength to think about the whole situation. But soon that turned into Lance avoiding writing the letter. He knew what the next part of the story was. He knew that this was the letter where Keith would put two and two together. This was the letter that Keith would realize how selfish Lance had been. He’d chosen himself over his friends and it had cost him.

 

Lance was afraid that he was going to lose Keith too.

 

He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle the rejection again. Lance couldn’t withstand another blow of that magnitude.

 

But in the end, Keith’s words kept running through his head. Keith had said he wasn’t alone and Lance believed him. He had to trust that Keith would hear his whole story. When Lance sat down to write the letter he felt his hand shaking and found it difficult to focus. It was a struggle to translate his thoughts to words.

 

Once Lance had finished and had sealed the letter in its envelope, placing it in his desk drawer with the other letters and drawings, he had nothing to do but wait for Keith’s response.

 

He paced back and forth in his small dorm room, thinking over every what-if question that popped into his mind. Every second that a drawing didn’t appear was another second that Lance was convinced Keith had abandoned him too.

 

Lance did his best to calm the rising tide of emotions that threatened to explode out of him. He tried to tell himself that there was no reason to freak out yet. Sometimes it took a few hours to get a drawing. Maybe Keith was busy. Maybe Keith hadn’t received the letter yet.

 

In the end, it didn’t matter whether or not Keith was going to send a drawing. The drawing itself didn’t matter. More than anything else, Lance wanted Keith to be here right now. Lance wanted to hear Keith’s voice. He wanted to know what Keith looked like. He wanted Keith to be with him, to tell him he wasn’t alone.

 

Because if Keith were here, Lance would know for certain that everything was going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Damn, this story is getting good, right? They're so close yet so far. Man, this must be torture for you guys. I'd say I'm sorry but I'm not a liar so I won't. It has been extremely entertaining reading all of the comments that come my way about this fic. You guys are so invested and I love it!  
> Anyway, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	15. Too Close

Lance woke up the next morning feeling more tired than he was when he went to bed. The sun shone faintly through the curtains in his dorm room, telling him that it was time to face another day. Lance groaned and turned over on his side, covering his head with his blanket. He could already tell that today was going to be just as shitty as yesterday was. Stupid sun. Couldn’t it just for once not rise? Was that too much to ask?

 

After about another ten minutes of avoiding getting up, Lance sighed and threw his blanket off himself, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He heard the sound of paper hitting the tiled floor and he felt his heart jump a little. He scrambled over to the wall, flipping the light switch forcefully before turning back around. He blinked a few times, allowing his eyes to adjust to the light.

 

He spotted the paper on the floor by his bed. He figured it must’ve come sometime in the night. He picked it up off the floor and sat back down on his bed. At this point Lance could usually guess what drawing Keith was going to send his way. Often times Lance would imagine the drawing he was going to receive as he was writing his letters. What he had expected with his last letter was a drawing of him and Lotor. That had been the main point of his letter after all. Instead, what he got was something entirely different.

 

Lance wasn’t even in this drawing. In the center of the page stood Shiro, Allura’s boyfriend. He had a generous look on his face and was holding a white bag. He stood next to the counter of the cafe which, Lance noticed, looked exactly like the actual cafe. Coran leaned against the other side of the counter, his usual jolly look on his face. Lance flipped the page over, hoping to see some explanation from Keith. There was nothing.

 

Something felt off about this drawing and it wasn’t just because of Lance’s absence from it. Why would Keith choose to fixate on this part of Lance’s letter? It was insignificant from the rest of the story. Lance had only mentioned it because of how Shiro’s presence was so noticeable. He wasn’t someone that Lance could easily forget. Overall, that conversation between Coran and Shiro should have, for the most part, gone unnoticed by Keith. Yet, that isn’t what happened. What importance did Keith find in that part that Lance couldn’t see?

 

Lance jumped at the sudden vibration coming from his desk, effectively being pulled out of his thoughts. He saw the screen of his phone light up which was unusual. It had been a long time since anyone had called him. Lance stood up, leaving the drawing on his bed, and retrieved his phone which was still vibrating.

 

He looked at the caller ID and was even more surprised to see Matt’s name. Matt never called him. He only had his number in case Pidge was ignoring him...which happened more often than Lance had originally anticipated. Curiosity getting the better of him, Lance answered.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Lance!” Came Matt’s voice over the speaker, louder than Lance had expected. If he wasn’t awake before, he definitely was now.

 

“Hi, Matt.” Lance replied, not able to match Matt’s enthusiasm this early in the morning. “What’s up?”

 

“I need you to stop by the cafe later today.” Matt replied, his voice casual despite the demand.

 

“Why?” Lance asked, feeling a little cautious. Matt wasn’t someone who did something without a reason.

 

“Can’t say.” Matt said. “But I promise it’ll be worth it. Just trust me on this.”

 

“Um...okay?” Lance said, confused.

 

“Great! See ya later, bye!” Matt hung up before Lance could respond. He looked at his phone questionably. What could Matt possibly want? Lance couldn’t even begin to guess and he wasn’t exactly sure he wanted to.

 

Well, he did know one thing: If Matt was involved it was sure to be an interesting day.

 

\-----

 

Keith awoke to the sound his phone ringing which wasn’t his favorite thing to wake up to. He sat up grumpily and grabbed his phone from the nightstand next to his bed. He glanced at the screen and growled slightly before answering.

 

“What do you want, Matt?”

 

“Well, good morning to you too!” Matt sang over the phone, spiking Keith’s irritation.

 

“You have ten seconds to tell me what you want before I hang up.”

 

“Allura wants you to stop by the cafe after your classes today.” Matt said, his voice calm, clearly not affected by Keith’s anger.

 

Keith scoffed. “I’m not falling for that, Matt. If Allura needs me she would’ve just called herself.”

 

“Fine, fine. You caught me.” Matt replied. “I need to see you today. It’s super important.”

 

“What could possibly be so important?” Keith asked.

 

“Nah ah ah.” Matt said in a mock innocent tone. “That’s not how this works. You wanna know? You better stop by.”

 

Keith sighed into the phone. He had to admit that Matt had peaked his curiosity. “Alright, fine. I’ll be there sometime this afternoon.”

 

“Perfect.” Matt said. “See ya then! Bye!” Matt hung up and Keith set his phone back on the nightstand. He had a feeling that today was going to be interesting.

 

Keith yawned and laid back down, planning on sleeping for as long as he possibly could. He closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles, his mind already drifting off.

 

He was on the verge of falling back to sleep when a sudden and loud blaring filled his room, jolting him back awake. With lightning reflexes he slammed the button on his alarm clock, probably more forcefully than was necessary.

 

Keith decided then and there that today was going to be a giant headache, especially if Matt was involved.

 

\-----

 

Keith arrived at the small cafe sometime in the afternoon. He hoped whatever Matt wanted him for was worth his time. He had planned to spend the afternoon in the studio. He still had a long way to go on his submission for the competition. Keith scanned the cafe and found Matt standing behind the counter, looking about as bored as he usually was when he worked.

 

“I don’t understand why you don’t just get a different job if this one bores you so much.” Keith remarked, approaching the counter.

 

Matt perked up at the sound of Keith’s voice. “Trust me when I say this place isn’t boring. There’s no place I’d rather be.”

 

Keith raised an eyebrow at him. “If you say so. So, what’d you want to see me for?”

 

“You’re gonna love this.” Matt said. “One sec.” Matt turned from the counter and went into the back for a moment. When he returned he was followed by another worker. “Okay, let’s go! Nyma agreed to watch the register for me.”

 

“Where are we going?” Keith asked.

 

“To the back.” Matt replied, gesturing for Keith to follow him through the door that he’d just come from.

 

“I don’t think I’m allowed back there…” Keith said hesitantly.

 

Matt waved his hand dismissively. “Coran isn’t here and Allura had to run an errand today. No one will care. Do you care, Nyma?”

 

“Go suck an egg, Matt.” She replied, leaning against the counter and not looking up from her phone that was in her hand.

 

“See? It’ll be fine. Now, c’mon.” Matt didn’t wait for Keith’s response before turning and disappearing into the back of the cafe. Keith glanced at Nyma one last time before walking around the counter and following Matt.

 

Matt led Keith through the kitchen of the cafe which was swirling with the delicious smells of pastries and cookies. He led him past the cleaning supplies and the dry storage. He led him to what Keith assumed was the very back of the cafe. They stopped in front of a door and Matt fished some keys out of his pocket. After locating the correct one, Matt unlocked the door and opened it. Keith looked over Matt’s shoulder to see inside the room.

 

“It’s a closet.” Keith said simply. “Why are you showing me a closet?” It was dark inside the closet but Keith could faintly make out the outline of hanging clothes which he assumed were spare uniforms.

 

“Your skills of observation astound me.” Matt commented, reaching up and tugging on the string that turned the light on. With the closet lit up, Keith could see clearly into the small space. He had been right about the spare uniforms, however, he could now see why Matt had brought him here.

 

“Are these?” Keith asked, stepping around Matt and into the closet.

 

“Yup.” Matt said happily. “We started receiving the first submissions a few days ago. I thought you might like to get a sneak peak, see what you’re up against.”

 

Keith knelt down next to the painted canvases stacked up against the wall. He reached out to sift through them but stopped and looked back at Matt. “Isn’t this kinda cheating?” He asked.

 

Matt shrugged. “You could call it cheating if you want but I like to think of it as using your resources. There’s technically nothing in the rules about seeing the other submissions.”

 

It shouldn’t have surprised Keith that Matt was exploiting a loophole. Keith also realized that he now owed Matt one which was a dangerous position to be in. He supposed it was too late to turn back now, though. He was here. What harm was there in just looking?

 

“No one can know that I saw these.” Keith said seriously.

 

“My lips are sealed.” Matt replied almost innocently.

 

Good enough for Keith. He turned back towards the paintings, eager to size up the competition.

 

\-----

 

Twenty minutes later Keith and Matt were headed back towards the front of the store. Keith had to admit that this competition was going to be tougher than he thought. There was a lot of talent in that closet and those were just the early submissions. Keith hoped his piece would compare.

 

As the two exited the kitchen, Keith was greeted by a sight that he had not expected. Lance stood on the other side of the counter, chatting casually with Nyma who wasn’t even looking at her phone. Keith felt his heart seize and his throat close up. _Why was Lance here_?

 

“Lance!” Matt said happily. Too happily. “What a coincidence to see you here!”

 

Lance glanced away from Nyma, looking first at Matt and then at Keith. “You told me to come here.” He said matter of factly. Keith found himself relaxing slightly at the sound of Lance’s voice. He didn’t seem as depressed as the last time Keith had seen him...but maybe Lance was just really good at hiding it.

 

“Details, details.” Matt said.

 

“Okay?” Lance said. Keith noticed how Lance avoided looking at him, probably still hurt from what happened two days ago. He felt a pang of guilt at that and found himself wishing that he had the courage to tell Lance who he was. But it wasn’t that simple. Keith needed to hear Lance’s full story first. He needed to know exactly what happened and he didn’t want Lance to stop writing him. There was no guarantee that Lance would finish his story if he knew who Keith was.

 

“Oh, I’m being rude.” Matt said, snapping Keith out of his thoughts. Matt turned to Keith with a slightly mischievous smile on his face that Keith did not like at all. “This is my friend Ke-”

  
“Gan!” Keith cut in abruptly, not even realizing what he was saying. Keith shot Matt with a particularly dangerous looking glare. “ _Kegan_. My name’s Kegan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Fun fact: Kegan means fiery (among other things). So pull whatever symbolism out of that that you want.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated and extremely motivating.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	16. Breathtaking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right, folks! Two chapters in two days. If it is or is almost your birthday, well happy birthday. If it isn't almost your birthday, then happy not birthday. Either way, you get a present. 
> 
> ~Redjay

“It’s nice to finally know your name.” Lance said, giving Keith a small, almost shy smile. “I’m Lance.”

 

The group all looked at Keith, expecting him to say something. Keith’s mind, however was both racing a mile a minute and drawing a blank. It was probably safe to say that Keith was slightly out of his element but he didn’t think any amount of social skills could prepare him for something like this.

 

“Uh…” Keith said awkwardly. “Matt, can I have a word with you... _now_.” Keith didn’t wait around for Matt’s response before grabbing his arm and pulling him back into the kitchen. As soon as the door closed behind them Keith rounded on Matt.

 

“What the _hell_ was that?”

 

“What was what?” Matt asked innocently. “I was just introducing you to my friend. You’re the one that started acting weird, _Kegan_.”

 

“No, no, no. You’re up to something. How did you know?” Keith demanded.

 

“How did I know what?” Matt asked, cocking his head to the side.

 

Keith sighed. He should’ve known getting answers out of Matt was going to be almost impossible. “How did you know that _that_ Lance was _my_ Lance?”

 

“Oh, that.” Matt said, plastering a knowing smile on his face. “That was easy. You have drawings of him hanging up in your room. Obviously I recognized him.”

 

Keith couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He felt like his world had just been turned upside down. “You... _what_?! Why didn’t you tell me?!”

 

Matt shrugged. “It didn’t really seem like you wanted to know. You weren’t even writing back to him.” Keith grabbed his hair in frustration, taking a few steps away from Matt to clear his head. Dealing with Matt always left his brain a pile of mush and he hated it. “So,” Matt said as he watched the frazzled Keith. “Why are you not telling him your name?”

 

Keith turned back to Matt with a desperate look on his face. “You can’t tell him my real name. You can’t. Promise that you won’t tell him who I am.”

 

“Woah, buddy.” Matt said, holding his hands up in a mock surrender. “I won’t tell him...that is, if you tell me why.”

 

Keith shot a glare at Matt. Of course his compliance wasn’t free. Keith sighed and said, “I’m afraid that if he knows who I am he’ll stop writing…” Keith had never admitted that out loud before. It felt good but also bad? Like he was revealing a deep dark secret.

 

“You realize that logic is insane, right?” Matt asked, giving Keith an amused look.

 

Keith felt his temper flare up. “You just don’t get it.” He muttered.

 

Matt gave Keith another shrug. “Maybe not but I suppose we’ll play things your way. For now you’re Kegan.”

 

Keith gave Matt a grateful look. “Thanks.”

 

“You owe me one.” Matt said simply before turning to exit the kitchen. Keith followed behind him reluctantly.

 

\-----

 

Lance waited impatiently for the two to return from the kitchen. He had no idea what he had done to Kegan to make him hate him. Every time Lance tried to act like a civil human being towards him he bolted. It was like he was allergic to him or something. Lance ran through all of the things he’d ever said to Kegan - the list wasn’t very long - but he couldn’t think of anything that had been remotely offensive.  Lance was good at talking to people, he always had been. So what was so hard about talking to Kegan?

 

The door to the kitchen opened, Matt and Kegan finally rejoining him. “Sorry about that, Lance.” Matt said lightly. “Kegan gets a little nervous around new people.”

 

Lance caught Kegan shooting a deadly glare at the back of Matt’s head and he couldn’t help but smile. Even when he was annoyed he was still cute.

 

“So what’d you want me here for?” Lance asked Matt, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

 

“Actually before we get to that, I’ve got some stuff I really need to take care of. Do ya mind waiting for a little bit?”

 

Lance shrugged. “Give me coffee and I’ll stay here the rest of my life.”

 

“Deal.” Matt said with a nod. “Grab a seat. Kegan will keep you company.” Matt pushed a startled looking Kegan out from around the counter.

 

“I will?” Kegan asked, glancing back at Matt uncertainly.

 

“Yes you will as a _favor_ for me.” Matt replied. Lance watched as the expression on Kegan’s face turned slightly annoyed. Lance decided to ignore rather than take offense to that and instead pushed himself off the counter and went to his usual seat by the window. He didn’t mind waiting, it wasn’t like he had anything else planned. Besides, if waiting included getting to sit across from Kegan for a little bit...well, that was alright with Lance.

 

Lance watched as Kegan stiffly sat down across from Lance. He couldn’t tell if Kegan was worried or angry or something else entirely. Reading him was like trying to read a foreign language; he could recognize that there were words but he didn’t know what they meant.

 

Usually Lance was a smooth talker, using his charm and winning personality to get a conversation rolling. But Lance knew that talking to Kegan was like walking through a minefield. One wrong step and Kegan would run. Lance certainly didn’t want that. So, he did the only thing he could think to do: Run in a straight line through the minefield and hope for the best.

 

“So why do you hate me?” Lance asked, making sure to keep his voice casual.

 

It was easy to see the surprise on Kegan’s face. “Um…” Kegan said, clearly looking for the right words to respond with. “I don’t?”

 

Lance raised an eyebrow at him. “That didn’t sound very convincing.”

 

“Well...I meant it. I don’t hate you.” Kegan said, becoming slightly defensive. The tone of his voice alleviated some pressure in Lance’s chest that he hadn’t noticed was there. He believed him.

 

“So, what do you think of me then?” Lance asked, resting his elbow on the table and holding his chin in his hand.

 

Kegan was silent for a moment, looking at the table in front of him instead of at Lance. He seemed to be mulling over something in his head, debating with himself. Lance waited, doing his best to ignore the pounding in his chest.

 

Kegan looked up, a slight red coloring on his cheeks, and said in an almost whisper, “...breathtaking…”

 

Lance was absolutely sure he’d heard wrong. What he had expected to hear was “tolerable” or “overwhelmingly normal” so there was no way “breathtaking” had just come out of Kegan’s mouth.

 

“I’m sorry but what...what did you just say?”

 

He watched Kegan’s face grow redder. “Forget it!” He said quickly, averting his gaze from Lance.

 

A cocky grin spread across Lance’s face. “Nope. No takebacks. You think I’m breathtaking.” A sudden realization popped into Lance’s head and he jumped up from his seat, slamming his palms on the table and causing Kegan to jump. “Is that why you ran away the other day? You couldn’t handle me?”

 

Kegan paused a moment before crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. “Sure.”

 

Lance opened his mouth to respond but was promptly cut off by Matt shouting “Lance! Coffee’s ready!”

 

“This conversation isn’t over.” Lance said, pointing at Kegan before he went to grab his coffee.

 

\-----

 

As soon as Lance’s back was turned Keith stood up quietly and left the cafe. He needed to get away. His brain was in overload and at this point he didn’t think he could even form coherent sentences.

 

It hadn’t been a lie when he said Lance was breathtaking. Everything about Lance was intoxicating. The way he spoke, his voice laid back and light. The way he looked at Keith, his blue irises piercing yet honest. His inability to not wear his heart on his sleeve. Keith had seen the hurt on his face when he thought Keith hated him but he’d also seen his face flush when Keith had said he was breathtaking. Even his smell, which Keith had got a whiff of when Lance lept up from the table, was captivating; the fragrance of coconut and fresh rain invading his senses and further jumbling his thoughts. Overall, Lance was... _warm_. And as Keith left the cafe, needing to recharge from his Lance high, he felt a slight chill settle into him. Like a cloud had just blocked out the sun.

 

It had been a rash decision to tell Lance what he really thought of him but he couldn’t lie to himself anymore. Somewhere along the way Lance had become so much more than the guy on the other side of the letters...and he deserved to know. That didn’t make it any easier to admit though.

 

Keith walked along the street towards where he had parked Red. He needed to find somewhere to clear his mind and around Lance was not the place to do it. Lance made things confusing and messy. Everything about Lance made Keith forget how to act like a normal human being.

 

“Hey!” Keith felt a hand grab his arm and stop him from walking. “I told you our conversation wasn’t over. You can’t run from me this time.”

 

Keith turned to look at a Lance that was staring at him with a determined expression. He could feel the skin underneath Lance’s grasp tingling despite the fact his jacket was covering his arm. “I wasn’t...running.” Keith replied lamely.

 

“Then what were you doing?” Lance asked, still not releasing Keith’s arm.

 

“I was just…” His voice trailed off. Keith dropped his gaze, unable to match Lance’s intensity.

 

“That’s what I thought.” Lance said, sounding satisfied. He released Keith’s arm but the tingling didn’t go away. Keith found himself wishing that Lance hadn’t let go. “I’m glad I caught you.” Lance continued. “I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to tell you otherwise.”

 

“Tell me what?” Keith asked.

 

Lance flashed Keith a heartfelt smile before saying, “I think you’re pretty breathtaking too.”

 

Keith was pretty sure he died. There was no way this was really happening right now. This couldn’t be real life. Keith never got this lucky. Never.

 

The only thing that convinced Keith he was still alive was the deafening pounding of his heart against his rib cage. Keith tried to form words but he couldn’t think of anything to say. There wasn’t a word in the entire universe that could describe what Keith wanted to say.

 

“Please say something.” Lance said quietly, sounding almost desperate. It was the same desperation that Keith had seen in Lance’s writing. Lance had been alone for so long and all he wanted was someone to talk to, someone who wouldn’t abandon him, someone that he could confide in. Keith was that person. Keith would always be that person. Keith would do anything if it meant not seeing that painful look on Lance’s face ever again.

 

“Is...is that why you talked to me the other day?” Keith heard himself ask.

 

Lance nodded, a serious look on his face but didn’t say anything.

 

“I’m glad you did...talk to me, that is.” Keith was fumbling for words but that didn’t seem to bother Lance.

 

A broad grin spread over Lance’s face. “C’mon.” Lance said, grabbing his hand and dragging him in the opposite direction of Red. “You can walk me home.”

 

Keith didn’t refuse. He didn’t want to.

 

\-----

 

_Dear Keith,_

_The story is almost over and my only hope is that by the end I’ll have figured out a way to fix everything. Maybe you’ll be able to see a solution that I can’t. No pressure or anything. This is my problem and it’s my job to fix it...somehow._

_I do have a feeling that things are going to start to look up. It is just a feeling but pain can’t last forever, right? The universe wouldn’t be that cruel...or at least that’s what I believe. What’s the saying? “Things have a way of working themselves out in the end”? I think I owe it to myself to put some faith in that saying._

_The week leading up to the engineering competition was filled with long nights, lots of coffee, a lot of lying on my part…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> So, you know how some authors will say that they got an idea for a book because they dreamed or imagined one particular scene? So these last two chapters is one of those scenes for me. I've been wanting to write this part of the story for so freaking long it's not even funny. Which is why I cranked out these last two chapters so close together. I was a typing machine yesterday, let me tell you. There is another part that's coming up down the line that is also another one of those scenes and I can't wait for it! Something to look forward to I suppose.  
> But anyway, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated and extremely motivating.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	17. Moral Dilemmas

“How close are you to finishing?” Lance asked Pidge late one night almost a week after Lance had received his instructions from Lotor. The trio sat in Pidge’s dorm room while Pidge worked on their VI. Hunk was by far more help than Lance was. He would often give his input on the project while Lance sat and kept them entertained.

 

Over the last week Lance had been in a sort of moral crisis. Lotor had certainly thrown a wrench in Lance’s usually calm life. He’d spent the first couple days after their conversation debating with himself over what he should do. On one hand, he really really really _really_ didn’t want to get caught. He would for certain get kicked out of school and he’d be lucky if there wasn’t some jail time thrown in for good measure. What would his family think? He didn’t think he could face them again if that happened. On the other hand he didn’t want to wreck Pidge’s chances at meeting Alfor. Pidge had told him how hard it was to get a foot in the door when it came to the world of technology. If he stole the VI he’d potentially be ruining Pidge’s chances at their dream job. So, it basically came down to whether he wanted to completely sabotage his own life or sabotage Pidge’s. That, he had decided, was a really shitty decision to make.

 

The worst part of it all was the fact that it was his fault he had to make the decision. If he had just let the whole Lotor incident go instead of trying to get back at him then none of this would’ve happened. It was true that Lotor gave him the ultimatum but it was Lance that gave him the fuel for setting Lance’s world on fire.

 

Lance had decided to ignore the problem in the end. He knew that wasn’t the right thing to do; it wasn’t the kind of problem that was just going to go away if he ignored it. But thinking about it only served to make his head hurt at this point. He’d make the decision when the time came.

 

He hadn’t told Hunk or Pidge about his conversation with Lotor as per Lotor’s orders. He didn’t know if Lotor could really find out if he told them but he didn’t want to take the chance. Lotor was sneakier than he looked, Lance had found that out the hard way.

 

“Pretty close.” Pidge replied, not looking up from the device that they and Hunk were hunched over. “At this point it’s mostly just making a few last tweaks and adjustments. We might be able to start testing it tomorrow.”

 

“But you’ll for sure have it done by Friday?” Lance asked.

 

“Oh, for sure.” Pidge replied. “This thing will be more than ready for the competition.”

 

Lance felt a sudden and depressing sickness settle into the pit of his stomach. Part of him had hoped that Pidge wouldn’t have finished it in time. Then there would be no reason for him to steal it and maybe Lotor would lay off. It seemed like he wasn’t going to get that lucky though.

 

Hunk sat up straight, looking back at Lance who was sprawled lazily on Pidge’s bed. “It looks like your moral support worked.” He commented lightly.

 

Lance resisted the urge to snort at the word “moral”. As of right now he was anything but moral. Instead he said, “Of course it did! With me on your team you can’t lose.”

 

He could practically hear Pidge roll their eyes. “Yeah, Lance. You’re my real savior.”

 

Lance couldn't help the slight flinch he gave at Pidge’s words. If only they knew how wrong they were.

 

“So have you heard anything from Lotor?” Hunk asked, not seeming to notice Lance’s flinch.

 

Lance felt himself grow rigid at the mention of Lotor’s name. He did his best to keep his voice natural sounding when he answered. “No, nothing.”

 

“That’s weird.” Pidge said. “You’d think he had contacted you by now. Do you think he’s waiting for something?”

 

Lance shrugged. “Dunno. I’m not complaining about it though.”

 

“Maybe he forgot.” Hunk suggested although it didn’t sound like he believed it.

 

“That’s doubtful.” Pidge said, still focused on the VI. “I mean, he doesn’t seem like the kinda person to just let something like that go. It gives him too much power for him to forget. I have a feeling that he’ll cash in on that favor soon.”

 

Lance tried to push the guilt that had risen in his chest back down. He had to keep reminding himself that he hadn’t decided to betray Pidge yet. He could still choose to not steal the VI.

 

Lance had also tried to think of an alternative option to his situation. He had contemplated accidently destroying the VI, pretend to trip and fall on it or something, but he had quickly vetoed the idea. There was no guarantee that Lotor wouldn’t suspect that he’d done it on purpose. What it did guarantee was that Pidge would lose the competition which was the opposite of what Lance wanted. No, that idea would never work. He thought about stealing the device and then sabotaging it so Lotor wouldn’t win but again, he knew that Lotor would think something was up.

 

No, there was simply no good way out of this situation. There was no scenario where everybody won except for Lotor and that fact had haunted Lance for the last few days.

 

Lance, trying to shake the feeling of hopelessness from his head, stood up and walked to the door of Pidge’s room. “The Five Lions closes in like an hour so I’m going to go on a coffee run. I have a feeling you guys are going to be here for awhile.” In reality, he just needed to get away from Pidge, Hunk, and the VI for a little while. He was going to suffocate under the guilt at this rate.

 

“Good idea.” Hunk said.

 

“Yeah, coffee sounds amazing right about now.” Pidge agreed.

 

“I’ll be back in a little bit.” Lance said before leaving Pidge’s dorm room and heading out into the warm September night.

 

The walk to the cafe wasn’t long but it was long enough for Lance to properly clear his head. The sound of cars driving by mixed with the crooning of the cicadas was enough to relax him. He knew it wouldn’t last but at this point he’d take what he could get.

 

Too soon Lance entered small cafe. It was empty except for Allura who stood behind the counter, covering the pastries in the display to keep them fresh. When Lance entered she looked up from her task.

 

“Lance, it’s good to see you!” She said, a smile forming on her face. Lance couldn’t help but smile back. Allura had a radiance about her that was captivating.

 

“It’s good to see you too.” He replied, approaching the counter and leaning against it. “Seems like a pretty slow night.”

 

“It’s still early in the semester. We don’t start getting stressed late night studiers until October.” She said with a small laugh. “So, what brings you here?”

 

“Pidge and Hunk are working on Pidge’s project for the big engineering competition coming up this Friday. I was sent to get fuel.” Lance explained.

 

“Ah, I see.” She said, pulling out three to-go cups. “And do you think Pidge will win?”

 

Lance looked at the counter instead of at Allura when he answered. “Yeah, I think they’ve got a real shot.” His voice was quiet.

 

There was no doubt Allura had picked up on Lance’s off response. She had this uncanny habit of knowing exactly how Lance was feeling, even if he didn’t know himself. “Is something bothering you about Pidge’s project?” She asked while making the three coffees. At this point Lance, Hunk, and Pidge had frequented the cafe enough that every employee knew their order by heart.

 

“No! Pidge’s project is amazing. It’s just...” Lance paused, unsure of how to continue.

 

“Just what?” She asked, her voice calm and patient.

 

Lance thought a moment before speaking. “Okay, let me hit you with a hypothetical. Let’s say you were faced with a really tough decision where you could either do something that would hurt a really close friend or ruin your life. There are no other options and you have to make the decision. You also can’t tell this friend about any of it. What would you do?”

 

Allura was silent for a little while, clearly deep in thought at Lance’s question. She didn’t answer until the all three coffees were made and put into a carrier. It was only when Lance handed her his card that she finally spoke.

 

“I think that friend would understand why you had to hurt them.” She said slowly. “If they’re really your friend, they wouldn’t want you to throw your life away just because you didn’t want to hurt them. They might be angry at first, maybe even for a long time, but given time I think they’d come to understand.”

 

Lance felt a weight lift off his shoulders. “Really? You think they’d forgive me...er you? You think they’d forgive you?”

 

“I really do.” Allura said with a smile, handing Lance’s card back to him. “But what did that have to do with Pidge’s project?”

 

“Nothing.” Lance said quickly, taking his card back and putting it away before picking up the carrier. “You’ve been a big help. Thanks, Allura! You’re the best!” Lance called as he left the cafe, Allura still standing behind the counter looking a little confused.

 

Lance stood outside the cafe, a warm breeze brushing his face and ruffling his hair. He trusted Allura’s judgement and as such, had made up his mind.

 

Now, it was just matter of how.

 

\-----

 

_...In Allura’s defense, she didn’t have the context of the situation. It was unfair of me to ask her such a complicated question without explaining everything. She gave me good advice but it just so happens that things don’t always turn out the way you want them to._

_But I guess that’s just how life is sometimes. -Lance_

 

\-----

 

Keith finished reading Lance’s latest letter while eating breakfast. Shiro had left early that morning so Keith had the apartment all to himself. It was hard for him to believe that this Lance and the Lance that he’d talked to yesterday was the same person. It just seemed too unreal.

 

As per Lance’s insistence, Keith had walked him back to his dorm. He was surprised at how easy it was to talk to him. He had a way of keeping a conversation going that was almost soothing to Keith. Lance asked so many question about him that Keith had a hard time keeping up. He answered them mostly truthfully, only leaving out his real name and anything that might tip Lance off as to who he really was. If anything had seemed off to Lance he didn’t show it, plowing right on to the next question. Keith had a feeling that he was a little starved for conversation and didn’t mind being the one to help him with that.

 

When the two had reached his dorm Keith felt a disappointment creep up on him. He didn’t want to say goodbye to Lance, not yet. Lance seemed to have sensed Keith’s inner turmoil and had reassured him that he’d see him again soon. To prove it, Lance had grabbed a sharpie from his room and scribbled his number onto Keith’s arm.

 

Keith glanced down at his left forearm. The ten digits were still there in Lance’s familiar handwriting. There was no doubt in his mind that he would call Lance. He didn’t think he’d be able to not call him.

 

But not now. No, first he had a sketch to draw and classes to attend. As much as he hated it, Lance was going to have to wait for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Some of you may be a little sad because you can see an end in sight for this fic so let me reassure you. Although we are getting close to the end of Lance's story we are still quite a ways from the actual end. So hang in there. There's still lots more story to tell.  
> Also, I'd like to throw in that this fic has officially passed my other fic in popularity which is awesome because that means I'm getting better at writing and storytelling, right? So that's exciting because I love giving you guys quality content.  
> Although it may be becoming repetitive at this point, I'm still going to say it: Any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	18. Ocean Eyes and Starred Hearts

Lance was in a very good mood. It had been a long time since he had felt this way and he was determined to not let anything spoil it. Not even Lotor could bring him down. He knew that his good mood was all in thanks to a certain someone who had walked him home yesterday. Someone who Lance desperately wanted to see again.

 

Lance tapped his pencil against the open notebook in front of him impatiently as he watched the minutes drag by. He felt like he’d been in this lecture hall for hours. He tapped his phone for about the twentieth time in the last ten minutes to see if he’d missed a text or call or something. There was nothing.

 

Part of him was worried that Kegan wouldn’t call. What if Lance had scared him off? He did ask a lot of questions yesterday, blame it on the involuntary isolation. He kept reminding himself that Kegan had said he was breathtaking. _Breathtaking!_ Usually it was Lance who said that about other people. To be on the receiving end of that phrase for once caused a swell of emotion to rise in Lance’s chest. It was the kind of emotion that allowed him to forget about his problems, even if only for a short while.

 

Lance checked his phone again. Still nothing. This waiting was going to kill him. He let out a small sigh and leaned back in his chair. Patience had never been something he was good at.

 

“Alright, that’s all I’ve got for you today. Class dismissed!”

 

Lance shot out of his chair faster than he would have thought possible. He shoved his notebook and pencil into his bag and grabbed his phone from the desk. He was the first one out the door, reveling in the sweet taste of freedom.

 

As he exited the room he spotted something that he’d been expecting. With a little smirk, Lance crossed the hallway and approached the bulletin board that was hanging on the wall. Most of the flyers were for student involvement clubs but one particular piece of paper stuck out to him.

 

Lance reached for the tack that had pinned the sketch to the middle of the board and pulled it out, freeing the drawing from the eyes of others. This time Keith had drawn Lance standing just outside the cafe, coffee carrier in hand. He was only illuminated by the lights of the cafe behind him, causing his face to be cast in shadow.

 

Lance didn’t have to guess at what that meant. Looking at the drawing made him feel a little sick. That was not one of his proudest moments and as such, he did not enjoy reliving it.

 

Lance flipped the page over and was once again greeted by no message from Keith. At this rate he was never going to find him. He had half a mind to just ask Keith where he lived but he didn’t want to scare Keith off. It had been only recently that Keith had made actual contact. Lance didn’t want to push too hard.

 

Lance felt his phone vibrate in his hand and his heart leapt a little. That could only be Kegan. Lance quickly put the drawing away carefully in his bag before opening up his phone and looking at the message.

 

**Unknown Number: Hey, it’s Kegan. I have the rest of the afternoon free. You wanna meet up or something?**

 

Lace resisted the urge to let out a squeal. That would’ve looked real weird to the other students passing him in the hallway. Instead he took a deep breath and decided to type back a calm, collected, and mature message:

 

**Hell yes!**

 

“Nailed it.” Lance muttered as he turned and headed out of the building.

 

\-----

 

“So you’re an art major, right?” Lance asked Kegan. The two were walking across the quad, having only met up a few minutes ago.

 

“That’s right.” Kegan replied, sounding a little hesitant. “Why?”

 

“I’d really like to see some of your work.” Lance replied simply, looking at Kegan. He saw Kegan’s expression turn a little troubled. “I mean, only if you want to show me, that is…” Lance quickly amended, not wanting to overstep.

 

“No, no...I want to show you my work. It’s just that I don’t currently have anything finished.” Kegan said, still looking a little distraught.

 

“Oh, no worries then.” Lance said, directing a friendly smile at Kegan.

 

Kegan’s face went red and Lance’s heart started to beat a little faster at the sight. Lance only had a moment to savor it though before Kegan grabbed Lance’s hand and started pulling him in the opposite direction they’d been walking.

 

“Where are we going?” Lance asked, his voice unsteady. Kegan’s hand was warm against his, causing butterflies to dance in his stomach.

 

“You’ll see.” Was all Kegan said in response. It didn’t take them very long to reach the building Lance had watched Kegan enter only a few short days ago. Kegan led him up the stairs to a small hallway. Lance had never been in this building before, never having a need to.

 

Kegan stopped outside one of the doors. “Wait here.” He said before disappearing into the room. When he emerged from the room he had a canvas in his hand, faced away from Lance.

 

“I thought you said you didn’t have any finished pieces.” Lance said, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

 

“I don’t.” Kegan explained. “But I’m not sure I’m going to finish this one so I thought I could show it to you. It was my first attempt at a submission for Allura’s art competition.”

 

Lance didn’t say anything, letting Kegan take his time. He had a feeling that Kegan didn’t showcase his work very often. After a few moments Kegan finally flipped the canvas around, letting Lance see it.

 

The first thing Lance noticed was that Kegan was really talented. He hadn’t been lying when he said the piece wasn’t finished; only about half the canvas was covered in paint. But Lance didn’t need to see the finished product to know that Kegan had no reason to be hesitant about showing people his work. The scene in front of him reminded him of home. The way the waves crested and reached towards the shore brought a feeling of homesickness into Lance’s chest. He recognized the way the sunlight bounced off the water, making swirling patterns of light along the surface. The footprints left in the sand a reminder of the many hours he’d spent as a child racing along the water’s edge, basking in the warmth of the summer sun.

 

There was a familiarity to Kegan’s painting that Lance couldn’t place. It was more than his childhood memories, more than the homesickness. It was a familiarity in the work itself. Something about the strokes of the brushes Kegan had used, something about the way the colors mixed together, something that seemed to nag at the back of his mind that he’d seen something like this before but he couldn’t place where.

 

“Do...do you like it?” Kegan asked, his voice sounding small.

 

Lance pulled his eyes away from the canvas to meet Kegan’s. “You have to finish this.”

 

\-----

 

Keith leaned the canvas against the wall of the studio next to the unfinished painting of Lance, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum. Lance had loved his painting. It was unfinished and far from perfect but he’d seen the way Lance looked at it. There was an emotion in his eyes that Keith didn’t know the name of but it was raw and pure, that much Keith was sure of.

 

In truth, there were lots of completed pieces that Keith could’ve shown him. He still had all of his works stored in his room from last year, all complete. Yet there was the slight problem of his signature in the bottom of every single one of them. He was sure that Lance would have a few questions about that.

 

In the end, though, he was glad that he’d shown him that piece. He hadn’t realized it until he’d shown Lance the painting but the blue he had used for the ocean was an exact match to Lance’s eyes. He wasn’t sure if he did that by accident or his subconscious was far more influential than he thought but in the end, the reason didn’t really matter. It was simply proof that Lance had a permanent place in Keith’s life.  

 

Keith turned the light off in the studio and met Lance back out in the hallway. “Okay,” Keith said. “I’ve shown you my stuff, now you show me yours.”

 

“My stuff?” Lance asked, raising an eyebrow at Keith.

 

“Yeah, your astrophysicy stuff.” Keith replied with a nod. “It’s only fair.”

 

Lance let out a laugh. “Trust me when I say that you wouldn’t be interested in any of ‘my stuff’. Compared to your stuff it’s pretty boring.”

 

“Well,” Keith said. “It isn’t boring to you, is it?”

 

“No, of course not.” Lance replied.

 

“Then show me.” Keith gave Lance a stubborn look.

 

“Okay, okay.” Lance said, surrendering. “There is one thing you might find pretty cool. C’mon.”

 

Keith followed Lance back out of the building and across the quad to the group of science buildings. They approached one of the buildings in the center of the cluster.

 

“This is the astronomy building.” Lance explained as he held the door open for Keith. Keith entered the building with Lance close behind. “So, normally students aren’t allowed to do this but I’m not a normal student.”

 

“What does that mean?” Keith asked.

 

“Let’s just say I have a way with words.” Lance said slyly.

 

“D-did you _charm_ your professor?” Keith asked, trying to mask how impressed he was with disapproval. Lance only winked at him and then stopped in front of a door, pulling a key out of his pocket. He unlocked the door and once again held it open for Keith.

 

Keith gave him a curious look before entering. The room was not what Keith had expected. It was large and circular shaped. The ceiling was shaped like a dome with a peculiar looking machine in the center of the room.

 

“You brought me here to show me a weird looking machine?” Keith asked, looking back at Lance.

 

Lance rolled his eyes and said, “No, ya dummy. C’mere.” He grabbed Keith’s hand and pulled him to the center of the room next to the machine. “Now, lay down.” Lance instructed.

 

Keith looked at the raggedy carpeted floor uncertainly. “Why?”

 

“No time for questions. Just trust me.” Lance replied.

 

Keith gave Lance a suspicious look before obeying his orders. He laid on his back, staring at the large dome above him. Lance turned towards the machine and started flipping switches.

 

“Okay, now close your eyes.” Lance said, his voice excited.

 

“Should I be worried?” Keith asked.

 

“I promise I’m not a perv.” Lance replied, laughing slightly. “I swear you won’t regret it.”

 

“Fine.” Keith sighed and closed his eyes.

 

“Don’t open them until I tell you.” Lance said, his voice coming from across the room. Keith did as he was told, deciding to put faith in Lance. It was only a few moments before he felt Lance lay down next to him, his voice was soft when he spoke. “Open your eyes.”

 

Keith opened his eyes and was met with a sky full of stars. Keith’s breath caught at the sight above him. He was surrounded by blackness with an endless sea of stars seemingly within his reach. If Keith didn’t know better he would’ve thought he were looking at the real thing. The tiny dots of light twinkled above him, displaying the life that was found in the night sky.

 

“So, what do ya think?” Lance asked, his voice still soft.

 

“It’s amazing…” Keith said just as softly, not wanting to disturb the quiet of the scene above him. Lance didn’t reply but instead slipped his hand into Keith’s. Keith couldn’t help the smile that crept onto his face and the warmth that spread through his chest.

 

Keith couldn’t think of a place he’d rather be than lying under the stars next to Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated as always.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	19. Betrayal

“Matt!”

 

Matt jumped when he heard the sound of the door slamming open and his name being called in a tone much harsher than he was used to. He looked up from the stack of cookies he was arranging on one of the display plates to see a very irritated looking Allura.

 

“What did you do?” She demanded.

 

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to be more specific. I do a lot of things.” He said casually, already knowing exactly what she was talking about.

 

“Don’t play dumb with me.” She said in a dangerously low voice. She approached the island in the middle of the kitchen, standing across from where Matt was working. She slammed her palms down on the stainless steel surface and Matt did his best to not crack a smile. A riled up Allura was nothing if not entertaining.

 

“I didn’t really do anything.” He said which wasn’t a lie.

 

“Bullshit.” She said, sending a deadly glare his way. “You expect me to believe that something like that can just happen spontaneously?”

 

“Something like what?” Matt asked, curiosity causing him to tilt his head slightly.

 

Allura sighed, still irritated, and said, “The feeling I got...it was strong and very sudden. Too sudden for it to happen naturally.”

 

“Maybe you’re just underestimating them.” Matt suggested, turning his attention back to the cookie display.

 

She let out a curt laugh. “I’ve known Keith for awhile. There’s no way he’d insert himself into Lance’s life. He’s too...closed-off.”

 

“Maybe Lance got to him. He’s the kinda person that would want to go looking for Keith.” Matt replied.

 

“After what happened? I doubt it. He wouldn’t want to risk losing Keith too.” Allura said, shaking her head, “No, this has you written all over it. So spill.”

 

Matt let out a sigh and decided to give in. “I may have just gotten them in the same place at the same time.”

 

“And…?” Allura said, clearly aware of the way Matt operated.

 

“...and kinda forced them to talk to each other.” Matt admitted.

 

“Matt! You said you wouldn’t meddle.” Allura said, sounding more disappointed than angry.

 

“No.” Matt said, pointing a finger at her for emphasis. “I said I wouldn’t meddle _that much._ I never promised to stay out of it.”

 

Allura rolled her eyes. “Technicalities. Do you realize how bad this could be?”

 

“You worry too much.”

 

“I’m serious, Matt. If either of them aren’t ready and you forced them together? Things could turn bad very quickly. This whole thing could end with one or both of them getting hurt and that defeats the whole purpose of this.”

 

Matt didn’t respond, instead focusing on the suddenly very interesting cookies in front of him. He did his best to avoid Allura’s gaze, but it was soul crushing.

 

“Matt.” She said, her voice low and menacing again. “What aren’t you telling me?”

 

“Nothing!” Matt said quickly, still not looking at her.

 

“Matt!” She barked.

 

“Fine! Keith knows that Lance is the same Lance that’s writing the letters but Lance doesn’t know that Keith is the one getting them. He thinks Keith’s name is Kegan.” He glanced up at Allura who had no expression on her face which frightened Matt more than he thought possible.

 

After a long moment she took a deep breath and said in an angry whisper, “You will stay out of this. And you better hope to god that everything works out. If it doesn’t...I’m coming for you, Holt.”

 

Without another word she turned and left the kitchen, leaving Matt in silence. Although he was absolutely fucking terrified of Allura now, he found himself chuckling. He had a feeling that everything would turn out just fine...if he could convince Keith to come clean to Lance.

 

And that was a big ‘if’.

 

\-----

 

_Dear Keith,_

_So, here’s what I’m thinking: I really hate the rest of my story. It’s no fun to think about, much less write about. So, I’ve decided to try the whole “ripping off a band aid” tactic. I’ve decided to write two more letters instead of stretching it out over like four or five. By the end of the second letter you’ll know everything that went down._

_Let me be clear about something. I did not write these letter to make you feel sympathy for me or to invite you to my pity-party. Nu-uh. That’s not the way a roll. I wrote these letters for me. I thought that if I could just see the whole thing laid out in words then suddenly things wouldn’t seem so bad. The fact that you were a real person who was going to be reading these was never even factored into the equation. So I guess the point I’m trying to make is that after you hear the end of my story, you have every right to hate me just as much as Pidge and Hunk do. I promise not to hold it against you._

_And now without any further ado, I present to you the beginning of the end…_

 

\-----

 

“Moment of truth.” Pidge said, glancing back at Lance and Hunk. The trio was once again in Pidge’s dorm room. They had been there for hours, Pidge and Hunk running numerous tests to get the VI working. They’d been at it since the tests started yesterday, both determined to get it just right. None had been a total success yet though which gave Lance a glimmer of hope. The competition was tomorrow and if this last test didn’t work he didn’t think it would be ready in time.

 

Lance’s hands were in the pockets of his jacket, his right hand clutching the crumpled up sticky note he’d found on his dorm room door this morning. All it had on it was a number and the letter “L”. Lance didn’t need to guess who that was. He didn’t want to know how Lotor had found his dorm. That was a mystery he’d rather leave unsolved. Mostly he was just relieved that it had been him who found the note and not Hunk. That would’ve been hard to explain.

 

“Fingers crossed.” Hunk said, not sounding very confident.

 

Pidge gave them a nod before turning back to their laptop and tapping a few keys. For a moment, nothing happened. The trio waited in silence, each holding their breath in anticipation. Slowly the device started to glow a light blue color. Still the trio said nothing, not wanting to jinx it.

 

“Awaiting command input.” The device said in an automated tone.

 

Lance glanced between the device and Pidge, hoping that the test would fail. Pidge let out a shaky breath before saying, “What is the theory of relativity?”

 

“The theory of relativity usually encompasses two interrelated theories by Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity. Special relativity applies to elementary particles and their interactions, describing all their physical phenomena except gravity. General relativity explains the law of gravitation and its relation to other forces of nature. It applies to the cosmological and astrophysical realm, including astronomy.”  The monotone voice said. Lance had a feeling it would have kept talking had Pidge not shouted with delight.

 

“It works! It fucking works!” They were jumping up and down, pulling at their hair with delight. Hunk was equally as pleased, picking Pidge up and crushing them in an iron hug.

 

“I knew you could do it!”

 

Lance wasn’t nearly as thrilled but he did his best to mask that, plastering a broad smile on his face and saying, “See? With me around nothing can go wrong!”

 

Hunk set Pidge back down and Pidge let out a laugh, adjusting their glasses that had been skewed from Hunk’s hug. “Remind me to never doubt you again.” Lance felt like he had just been stabbed in the gut at those words. Pidge turned to look back at the small device, no doubt giving it a fond look. “I’m gonna call you Rover.”

 

“Rover?” Lance asked, raising an eyebrow at them.

 

“Yeah.” Pidge said. “Why not? It’s my VI. I should name it.”

 

Lance shrugged. “Whatever you want.”

 

“Inputting name.” Rover said. “You may call me Rover.”

 

“This is the greatest day of my life.” Pidge said, looking like they were merely seconds away from swooning.

 

There was a sudden blaring of a ringtone, causing all three of them to jump. Pidge snatched their phone off their desk, looked at the caller ID, and then answered it.

 

“What do you want, Matt? I’m a little busy.” There was silence for a moment before Pidge’s expression turned almost horrified. “You’re _where?!_ Again! Just have Allura or Coran take you home….of course they are...okay, okay fine. I’m on my way. Just, don’t go anywhere, okay? I’ll be there soon. Bye.” Pidge hung up the phone with an irritated sigh.

 

“Is everything okay?” Hunk asked, concerned.

 

Pidge shook their head. “My stupid brother needs me to take him home.”

 

“What? Is he drunk or something?” Lance asked.

 

“He likes to call it ‘resting his brain’. But yeah, he’s drunk.” Pidge replied, more than a little annoyed. “I need to drive him home before he does something stupid. One time he puked on a dog...twice. Both in the same night. It was awful.”

 

“Gross.” Lance said simply. “But you don’t have a car, do you?”

 

“No but Matt does. He’s stupid enough to drive it to the bar, claiming that he won’t get _that_ drunk. He always ends up calling me to get him home. I really hate him. I mean, who gets drunk on a thursday?”

 

“You’re not fooling anyone, Pidge.” Hunk said with a chuckle. “You could just not go rescue him but you do every single time.”

 

Pidge shrugged. “Family is family. Gotta look out for eachother. Besides, every time I save him he owes me a favor. There’s like ten favors I haven’t cashed in on yet. Anyway, you guys want to come? The bar’s about a forty-five minute walk but seeing Matt in an inebriated state is worth it. Trust me. We can crash at his apartment and he’ll drive us back in the morning.”

 

“Oh, I’m so in.” Hunk said, excited. “Lance?” Hunk turned to him with an expectant look on his face.

 

Lance knew his friends expected him to tag along and he really wanted to. Matt was always...well, Matt and a chance to make fun of him was something Lance did not want to pass up. But Lance also saw this as an opportunity. Pidge and Hunk would be gone all night, giving him ample time to steal Rover and meet Lotor without them being the wiser.

 

“Actually, I’m feeling a little run-down. I think I’m gonna head back to my dorm and get some sleep.” The lie came out of Lance’s mouth so casually that it scared him. When had it gotten this easy to lie to his friends?

 

Pidge just shrugged. “Your loss. C’mon Hunk.” Pidge crossed the room and opened the door. “Make sure you lock it behind you, Lance.” Lance just nodded in return, feeling slightly sick.

 

Hunk laid a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “We’ll see ya tomorrow, buddy.”

 

Lance forced a smile on his face as he watched his two friends walk out of the room. When the door closed Lance looked at Rover and said, “I’m really sorry about this…”

 

\-----

 

Lance stood under one of the street lamps in the middle of campus. It was dark out, not even the moon giving off enough light to ease the weight that was crushing Lance. He could feel the guilt eating away at his insides but he did his best to ignore it. He had made a decision and he was going through with it. Pidge would be mad, but they would understand with time. That’s what Allura had said.

 

He stood with a powered down Rover in his hands, waiting for Lotor to show up. He had called him shortly after Pidge and Hunk had left. He had told him to come here and Lance had. Lance’s eyes searched the darkness for Lotor as he waited, shifting his weight from one leg to the other in anticipation.

 

“Lance.” Came the simple greeting. Lance flinched and spun around, coming face-to-face with a smirking Lotor. Lance bit his tongue, resisting the urge to insult Lotor. “You have what I asked for.”

 

It wasn’t a question. Lotor wasn’t looking at Lance’s face but down at Rover in his hands. Lance cleared his throat. “I do. But first I need to know that you won’t turn me in.” His voice wasn’t nearly as strong as he would’ve liked it.

 

Lotor tilted his head slightly, the smirk not falling from his face. “You have my word. My lips are sealed.”

 

Lance knew Lotor’s word meant shit. He couldn’t trust Lotor. Not after everything he’s done. But Lance also knew that there was no real way for Lotor to prove that he wouldn’t turn him in. With a resigned sigh, Lance held out Rover to Lotor. Lotor didn’t hesitate to take the device from Lance’s hand.

 

Lance had only been injured once in his life and that was when he was nine and decided to climb the tree in his backyard. As with so many tree climbing stories, a branch broke and he fell. He broke his leg. It was painful; he remembered crying a lot. He remembered his mom running out to the yard screaming his name, her face stricken with fear. But in the end the pain had gone away and his leg had healed.

 

There was no physical injury present on Lance. If examined by a doctor they would say he was in perfect health. But Lance knew at that moment that wasn’t the case. It was like he had broken his leg all over again except the pain was concentrated in his chest instead of his leg. It wasn’t a throbbing or an ache. No, this was a sharp pain, a stinging pain. The kind of pain that radiated throughout his whole body, increasing with each heartbeat.

 

Lance couldn’t move, he could barely even breathe as Lotor gave him one last condescending smile and said, “Pleasure doing business with you.”

 

Lance watched, feeling both full of emotion and hollow, as Lotor walked off into the night, taking Rover and Lance’s life as he knew it away.

 

\-----

 

_...yeah… - Lance_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> You guys got an extra long chapter today because that's just how much I love you. No need to thank me. I should be the one thanking you guys for all the support. It's truly a magical thing.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated!  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	20. Lingering Consequences

Keith put Lance’s newest letter back in the envelope and tucked it into the bag at his feet. He wasn’t surprised at the contents of the letter. He’d known for a couple letters what was going to happen. But reading about it actually happening was harder than he thought. He supposed it had to do with the fact that he actually knew Lance now. He’d spent time with Lance; long enough to know that he probably spent most of his days blaming himself for what had happened. And although Keith knew he wasn’t entirely faultless, that didn’t mean that Lance deserved to suffer the way he had been.

 

Keith knew who to really blame for this mess. Lotor. And if Keith ever saw him he was afraid of what might happen. Not in the sense that he was afraid of Lotor himself, but more in the sense that he was afraid of what he might do to Lotor. There was no doubt in Keith’s mind that he would make him pay for what he did to Lance. So Keith hoped for his own sake that he and Lotor would stay far far _far_ away from each other.

 

Keith could feel his temper rising just thinking about Lotor so he pushed the thoughts of him from his mind, deciding instead to think about another worry that had been nagging at the back of his mind lately. For awhile he’d been telling himself that the reason he didn’t tell Lance who he was was because he was afraid Lance wouldn’t finish his story if he did. But Lance was only going to send one more letter and then his story would be over. Keith, by his own reasoning, would have no reason to keep his identity a secret from him. And that fact should’ve excited Keith...but it didn’t.

 

He felt hesitant, like he wasn’t sure if he wanted Lance’s last letter to ever come. Keith wasn’t always the most observant person but he could tell that Lance really liked Kegan. And while Keith knew he and Kegan were the same person, he was afraid that Lance wouldn’t feel the same way. Maybe Lance wouldn’t want someone who knew his biggest regret around. Maybe Lance would be angry at Keith for lying to him. The thought of Lance never wanting to speak to him again made Keith feel nauseous. He couldn’t pretend to be Kegan forever, he knew that, but that didn’t make telling Lance the truth any easier.

 

Above all, one question kept pushing itself to the forefront of Keith’s mind: Had he made a mistake in not telling Lance who he was? Had he fucked everything up before he even gave Lance a chance?

 

Panic settled deep into his being and Keith ran his paint covered fingers through his hair, not caring what new colors tainted the black locks. He took slow, deep breaths. He tried to tell himself there was no need to panic yet. He could just be overthinking things. But Keith knew that while he might be able to set aside the panic today, he was eventually going to have to face it head on.

 

Keith turned his attention back to the painting in front of him, eager for a distraction. With the competition deadline in less than a week he was a little pressed for time. Not to mention with how tough his opposition was. He needed his painting to be perfect and he knew that he could reach perfection but he needed to focus first.

 

At first, back when Keith had decided to enter the competition for Shiro rather than himself, he hadn’t really cared about winning. But now that he was doing it for himself like Matt had suggested he had fully embraced his competitive side. With this painting of Lance there was no way he could lose. He owed it not only to himself but also Lance to give more than his best effort. Even if Lance never knew it was him, Keith was determined to give Lance a win. He deserved it.

 

\-----

 

“So how’re things going?” Matt asked, sitting down in the seat across from Lance in the cafe. He was still wearing his work apron that was smudged with coffee stains and he looked more than a little exhausted.

 

“Long shift?” Lance asked, closing his laptop. He knew that with Matt around he wasn’t going to be getting any real work done.

 

“The longest.” Matt replied. “I think Allura’s mad at me so she made me work an extra three hours.”

 

“Maybe you should try to stay on her good side.” Lance suggested.

 

Matt waved a hand at him dismissively. “Where’s the fun in that?”

 

Lance let out a small laugh. “Your funeral, buddy.”

 

Matt shrugged and said, “You didn’t answer my question. How’re things between you and Kegan? You guys kinda disappeared the other day.”

 

Lance couldn’t help but let a small smile creep across his features. “Things are...good I think.” Lance could feel emotions starting to rise in his chest. Emotions that he hadn’t felt in a long time. He did his best to contain himself, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of Matt.

 

“Lance.” Matt said, leaning forward and making direct eye contact with him. “You don’t have to pretend. I know you think things are going better than “good”.”

 

Lance felt his defenses break as his face turned red and he couldn’t help the words that came spilling out of him. “He’s fucking perfect, Matt.” Lance gushed. “He-he’s talented and sweet and just fucking adorable when he’s nervous but he doesn’t put up with anyone’s shit and not to mention that he’s easy on the eyes and just…” Lance leaned back in his chair, dragging his hands down his face. “I just really like him.” Lance lowered his voice a little. “I don’t want to screw this up…”

 

Matt let out a snort. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone refer to him as “sweet” or “adorable” before. Most people would say “unapproachable” or “reserved”.”

 

“Clearly you aren’t talking to the right people.” Lance said defensively.

 

“Clearly.” Matt said with a small laugh. “Okay, okay...why are you worried you’re gonna mess things up?”

 

Lance sighed, feeling a familiar weight settle in his stomach. “I’m not exactly the greatest at the whole dating scene.”

 

“Wait, you’re dating?” Matt asked, sounding far more interested than he should.

 

“No...not exactly.” Lance admitted shaking his head. “But I’d like to be eventually. I mean, I’m really good at being charming and flirty and all. I mean, c’mon, look at me. How could I not be?” Matt just rolled his eyes and Lance continued. “But with him it’s different. He’s…special. I don’t know how but it’s like he sees me. The real me. Not the Lance the rest of the world sees…” Lance was quiet for a moment before letting out a little scoff and saying. “Sounds pretty lame, doesn’t it?”

 

Matt was silent for a moment, his face not giving away whatever he was thinking. After what seemed like an eternity Matt said, “I don’t think it’s lame at all. If you’re that worried about something going wrong than just take it slow. Kegan can be...skittish sometimes. It might be best to let him decide when the right time to move forward is.”

 

“How long will that take?” Lance asked tentatively.

 

Matt shot him a sympathetic smile. “I think it’ll happen sooner than you think. And even if it takes a long time, I’m betting you’re willing to wait.”

 

Lance was silent, mulling over Matt’s advice. He had to admit that Matt made a pretty compelling argument. He certainly didn’t want to chase Kegan away. “Alright.” Lance said with a nod. “I can be patient.”

 

“Good.” Matt said, standing up and stretching. “Now with my good deed for the day done I’m going to go home and sleep for seven years. See ya later, Lance.” Lance gave him a wave goodbye as Matt left the cafe and then reopened his laptop.

 

Patience had never been a strength for Lance but if it meant that Kegan would stick around, then he would power through. He had a feeling that Kegan would be worth the wait.

\-----

 

Lance returned to his dorm room a few hours later. He had stayed at the cafe until his laptop had died. He set the laptop down on his desk to plug it in and noticed a sketch sitting on the top of the stack of papers. He picked up the sketch slowly, once again not finding too much comfort in what was depicted on the page.

 

Lance was standing under a streetlight, surrounded by darkness. His right arm was outstretched, presenting Rover to a smug looking Lotor. Lance wasn’t looking at Lotor or Rover but at the ground. His face held a shame that Lance had felt a million times since that night. It was a shame that he had tried to forget but never could.

 

Lance glanced at the signature in the corner before flipping the drawing over. Once again there was nothing written on the back. It seemed that Keith would continue his silence. Lance wasn’t sure if he was disappointed or relieved. On one hand Lance had no way of knowing if Keith thought he was a despicable guy who would betray a friend just to save his own skin or if he understood why Lance had made the decision that he did. The not knowing was terrifying. On the other hand Keith wasn’t calling him out as a monster. At least not knowing let Lance have hope that Keith didn’t hate him.

 

Maybe Keith didn’t even know himself how he felt about Lance and that was why he was keeping silent. Maybe he was withholding judgement until Lance had finished his story. Whatever the case, Lance would find out sooner or later. There was only one letter left and as much as he didn’t want to write it, he was ready for the story to be over. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Keith just yet, but he was ready to pack away his mistake and try his hardest not to think about it. He was ready to focus on the good things that were happening in his life, like Kegan.

 

And who knows? Maybe he’d even figure out how to make up with Pidge and Hunk. But he wasn’t sure that was a happy ending he deserved.

 

\-----

 

Keith closed the door behind him with a tired sigh. He’d spent way too many hours in the studio and his shoulders were slightly sore. He needed to take a hot shower and fall into bed.

 

“Keith?” Shiro called from the kitchen. “Is that you?”

 

“No…” Keith replied, too tired to make his voice sound sarcastic. “It’s his walking corpse.”

 

He heard Shiro chuckle from the kitchen. “Well does his corpse want something to eat? I don’t have brains but this spaghetti I made looks pretty close.”

 

Keith felt his stomach growl at the thought of food. It looked like a shower was going to have to wait for now. He trudged into the kitchen, dropping his bag on the living room couch on the way. As he entered he saw Shiro sitting at the small table, plate in front of him and a stack of files sitting off to the side. He saw Shiro glance up from the one he was reading.

 

“You look...terrible.” Shiro commented.

 

“Thanks.” Keith said flatly as he went to the cabinet and pulled down a plate. “I’ve been working all day to perfect this look.”

 

“You have paint in your hair.” Shiro said lightly, clearly finding some amusement out of Keith’s tired state.

 

“How observant of you. It’s almost like you're a detective or something.” Keith replied, getting his food and then sitting down across from Shiro. “So, is it a big one? You hardly ever bring work home with you.” Keith asked, nodding in the direction of the files.

 

“Not really.” Shiro said, sighing. “It’s a cold case that was pushed to me because I don’t have any open cases right now.”

 

“Really? What’s it about?” Keith asked, slightly interested.

 

“I really shouldn’t discuss an ongoing investigation.” Shiro said.

 

“Shiro.” Keith said, pointing at him with his fork for emphasis. “You say that every time and every time you end up telling me anyway. Just tell me.”

 

Shiro sighed and said, “Fine. It’s a case from about two months ago. Someone broke into a building at your school and knocked out the night janitor. The campus police couldn’t figure who did it so they gave it to us…”

 

Shiro kept talking but Keith was no longer listening. All he could hear was his heart pounding against his chest and the blood rushing through his head. They were looking for Lance...no, _Shiro_ was looking for Lance. And Keith knew Shiro better than anyone.

 

He knew Shiro wouldn’t stop until he found him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Damn, things are getting tense. How exciting, right?  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	21. Ending the Tale

Lance threw his pen down angrily and stood up from his desk to start pacing. Why was writing this letter so hard?

 

In truth, he knew the answer to that. It was the last one. After this letter he would have no reason to contact Keith again. It would be up to Keith as to whether or not the two ever spoke again and with the silence of the last few drawings, Lance wasn’t very hopeful. He wanted to meet Keith, he really did. He wanted to look the person who knew Lance’s story, start to finish, and be judged accordingly. If Keith didn’t say anything...well, that wasn’t something Lance wanted to think about.

 

There was also the fact that it was probably going to be the hardest letter to write. Sure, the last couple had been painful, torturous even, but watching his life come crumbling down around him was even worse. To put into words what happened without trying to paint himself in a better light was a struggle to say in the least.

 

But in the end, Keith deserved to know what happened. He’d stuck with Lance this far, the constant drawings were proof enough of that. Lance was going to write this letter if not for himself, for Keith.

 

And then maybe, just maybe, he could start to put the whole thing behind him.

 

With a sigh Lance sat back down at his desk and picked the pen back up. He stared at the empty page in front of him for a moment, formulating in his mind how he wanted to start the ending of his story.

 

“Okay.” He said to himself quietly, his voice breaking the silence of his dorm room. “No turning back. Let’s finish this.”

 

With one last deep breath, Lance started writing.

 

_Dear Keith,_

_There’s not much for me to say at this point. I’ll save it all for the end. So let’s get right to it, shall we?_

 

\-----

 

Lance was awoken by his phone vibrating violently next to his head. He could have imagined better ways to wake up but he could see the sunlight streaming in through his curtains so he supposed it was time for him to wake up anyway. He didn’t bother looking at the caller ID before answering, too tired to care at this point.

 

“Mmm hello?” He muttered into the phone, his voice a little horse.

 

“Please tell me you have Rover!” Pidge’s voice shouted into Lance’s ear. In an instant, the memories of last night came rushing back to him. He sat bolt upright in bed, feeling a nervous course of electricity shoot through his veins. He felt his chest tighten painfully, his lungs suddenly refusing to accept air.

 

By some miracle he was able to choke out a simple, “No, why?”

 

Lance had to hold the phone away from his ear as Pidge let out a frustrated cry. The sound cut through Lance, effectively tearing his heart in two. He had braced himself for this moment. He had gone over this conversation time and time again in his head but nothing he fabricated could compare with the real thing.

 

“He’s gone, Lance! Someone stole him! I can’t find him anywhere!” He could hear Pidge’s pants as they no doubt tore through their room, looking for Rover. “The competition is today! What am I going to do?”

 

Lance didn’t have an answer to that. What was he supposed to say? Lucky for him Pidge kept talking, their voice going from frantic to pained.

 

“I guess I don’t even really care about the competition at this point. I worked so hard to get Rover operational but I couldn’t have done it without you guys. I don’t know how someone stole it but…” They paused and Lance heard them take a deep breath. “Ah, shit. I know you were really excited about this. I’m sorry for letting you down.”

 

It was in that moment that everything in Lance’s world fell away except for one thought that was blaring in his brain: Lance had really fucked up.

 

If there was anybody who should be apologizing right now it should be Lance and he knew it. He had to fix this. Could he even fix this? He could just tell Pidge he supposed but what would that accomplish? Rover would still be gone and Lotor would still most likely win the competition. No, he needed a better plan...and he might just have one.

 

“Pidge!” Lance said suddenly into his phone. “What time is the competition?”

 

“It starts in about an hour.” Pidge replied, sounding confused. “Why?”

 

“Meet me there in thirty minutes! Whoever stole him is probably going to enter Rover into the competition. You won’t win the competition but at least you can get Rover back.” It wasn’t an ideal solution but it was the best he had.

 

“You’re right!” Pidge said, sounding excited. “Hunk’s here with me so I’ll let him know! See you in thirty!” Pidge hung up the phone before Lance could reply.

 

Lance felt the the energy drain from him as he dropped his phone next to him. Lying to his friends was not something he enjoyed...but if everything worked out like he planned, Pidge and Hunk would never need to know about the whole ordeal and then things could go back to normal.

 

Or at least, that’s what he hoped.

 

\-----

 

“Lance! Over here!”

 

Lance turned towards the sound of his name, searching for Hunk and Pidge in the crowd of college students and professors who had gathered to witness the many projects that had been entered into the competition. Although it wasn’t scheduled to start for another half an hour, there were already countless contraptions put on display for people to look at.

 

The competition was held in the field close to the engineering buildings. Booths and tents were set up to ward off the hot september sun. When Lance had first approached the event, he had kept a lookout for Rover but there were far more entries than Lance had anticipated. Finding either Lotor or Rover was going to harder than he originally thought.

 

He saw Pidge pushing their way through the crowd towards Lance, Hunk close behind them. Both had determined looks on their faces.

 

“Have you found him?” Lance asked.

 

Pidge shook their head in response, a slightly pained expression ghosting their face. Hunk laid a comforting hand on their shoulder.

 

“We will. We’ll bring Rover home.”

 

Lance pushed the new wave of guilt down and changed the subject. “Okay so the judging starts in…” Lance pulled out his phone and checked the time. “Twenty minutes. How long will it take to judge all of these projects?”

 

Pidge looked thoughtful for a minute before answering. “Probably about an hour. They have a whole team of judges so it doesn’t take them six hours to inspect every project.”

 

“So an hour and twenty minutes? That should be enough time to find Rover, right?” Lance asked.

 

“Only if we split up.” Hunk said. “This place is huge. There’s no way we could cover all of it if we stick together.”

 

“Good idea.” Pidge agreed. “I’ll head west, Hunk you go south, and Lance east. They announce the winner on the north side of the field so we’ll meet there in an hour and twenty minutes, okay? If you find him call me right away.”

 

Hunk and Lance nodded in affirmation before the trio went their separate ways. Lance weaved through the thick crowd to the nearest group of projects on display, hoping to either see Rover or Lotor. He moved fast from booth to booth, not even bothering to apologize when he bumped into somebody. He was almost frantic as he hurried through the crowd. Finding Rover was the only thing that mattered.

 

Lance started asking people if they’d seen a VI project but no one seemed to know what he was talking about. As he neared the edge of the booths he started to lose hope that Lotor would be found.

 

He pulled his phone from his pocket, falling deeper into despair when there were no missed calls or messages waiting for him. It seemed Pidge and Hunk were having about as much luck as he was and they were running out of time. There was only a half an hour left until the winner would be announced. After that, Lotor would probably be long gone.

 

Lance needed to find him before that happened. Lotor had to be somewhere though. It wasn’t like he was invisible and a project like Rover would attract a lot of attention. So where was he?

 

With a frustrated sigh Lance turned north and dove back into the crowd, a sick feeling settling into the pit of his stomach. He had a feeling that things were only going to get worse.

 

\-----

 

Lance shifted his weight from side to side as he waited for Hunk and Pidge to meet him. He hadn’t caught wind of either Rover or Lotor and his last hope hung on the findings of his friends. Maybe they just forgot to call him. Maybe they did find him and Lotor told them what Lance had done. Either way, Lance’s nerves were on fire and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait.

 

“No luck?” He heard Hunk ask from behind him.

 

Lance turned towards him, shaking his head. “None.”

 

“Me too.” Hunk said solemnly. He paused for a moment before saying, “Are you sure you locked the door when you left?”

 

“Of course I did.” Lance replied, almost too smoothly. It wasn’t a lie. Lance had locked the door when he left but he also knew it wasn’t the full truth.

 

Hunk nodded, believing Lance. “I was just checking. I mean, I checked the lock this morning and it looked fine. If someone had broken in then it would’ve been damaged.”

 

“Maybe they used the window?” Lance suggested, feeling the weight on his shoulders getting heavier.

 

“Maybe.” Hunk said, looking unconvinced. “But Pidge’s room is on the third floor. Getting up that high without someone noticing is quite a feat.” Lance didn’t respond. He couldn’t think over the blood rushing through his head. “Also, who could’ve possibly known that Rover was in there? It’s not like Pidge to go around talking about their projects with anyone but us.”

 

Sirens were going off in Lance’s head but he did his best to keep a calm composure. “Maybe Pidge let it slip accidentally...or maybe someone overheard our conversations.”

 

Hunk gave a little shrug. “Yeah, maybe.”

 

Lucky for Lance, Hunk wasn’t able to say anything more on the subject because Pidge arrived, looking more defeated than Lance had ever seen before.

 

“I looked everywhere. There was no sign of him. Whoever took him is either really good at hiding or never here to begin with.”

 

Lance knew that wasn’t true. Lotor was here. The only reason he wanted Rover was so he could win this competition. But there was no way he could tell Pidge that without making them suspicious. He wanted Pidge to get Rover back but he also didn’t want to lose Pidge as a friend if he didn’t have to.

 

When had his life gotten so messed up?

 

“Okay, folks! It’s about that time!”

 

A voice sounded over the speakers, projecting the sound into the restless crowd. Many of the the project designers along with friends and family stood eager to hear the results of the competition. Lance was willing to bet that he was more nervous than all of them combined. If Lotor won the competition than Pidge would know who had Rover. Maybe they could even get Lotor disqualified if they could prove that Rover was stolen. None of that, however, guaranteed that his part in the whole ordeal would remain a secret.

 

Lance held his breath as one of the judges approached the podium at the center of the stage. The judge tapped on the microphone twice before pulling a sealed envelope from inside his jacket.

 

“Before I reveal this year’s winner, I want to say that there were a lot of really innovative and original projects this year. Myself, as well as the other judges, were just so impressed. The engineering department should really be proud of the accomplishments that were made here today.” The judge cleared his throat before opening the envelope in his hands. “That being said, there can only be one winner. It is with great pleasure to announce that this year’s winner is…” The judge paused for dramatic effect and Lance thought he was going to go insane. “Lotor Galrian with his groundbreaking VI!”

 

If a cheer went up from the crowd Lance didn’t hear it over the sound of Pidge screaming, “ _What the fuck!?_ ”

 

Lance didn’t look at either of his friends, not wanting to see the looks of outrage that was no doubt on their faces and also not wanting them to see the guilt on his own. He watched as Lotor fluidly walked up on stage. He could see the calm and almost malicious smile on his face. He shook hands with the judge before stepping up to the mic to make his speech.

 

“I’ll kill him.” Pidge said, their voice dangerously low.

 

“I’d like to thank the judges for this amazing award. I am honored to be standing up here right now. It’s always truly wonderful to see hard work pay off.”

 

“Hard work my ass.” Pidge muttered.

 

“However,” Lotor said, shifting his eyes to stare directly at Lance. Lance felt his limbs go numb and his breathing stop. He did not like being under Lotor’s gaze. “It would be wrong for me to take all the credit. I couldn’t have done this without the help of my good friend Lance. Without him, none of this would’ve been possible.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> First off, sorry about the delay. I had to deal with real life stuff but I'm back now so it's all good.  
> Secondly, holy fucking shit am I just a mess of freaking emotions right now. It has come to my attention that people have been recommending this fic and that just makes me so very happy. I'm so glad that you guys think my writing is good enough to share with other people. It really warms my heart. So, if you're just joining us on this wonderful journey, welcome and I hope you stick around. If we picked you up along the way then I'm so excited that you decided to stick around. And of course if you have been here since the beginning then you already know that I love and appreciate all of you.  
> Also on that note, I think it's about time that I say another big thank you to everyone who has left me feedback. Reading what you guys take away from each chapter really just brightens my day.  
> As I'm sure you can tell from the above statement, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated and extremely motivating.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	22. Bittersweet Goodbyes

Lance was surrounded by the sound of clapping but he didn’t notice any of it. He stared wide-eyed at Lotor who was giving him a smile that simply said ‘checkmate’. Lance’s mind was racing as he tried to comprehend what exactly had just happened. He knew there was no way of lying his way out of this one. Pidge and Hunk were smart enough to put two and two together.

 

Lance had to accept the fact that Lotor had won. He’d beaten Lance one hundred percent and now he had to face the consequences. He wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. He wished that some magic spaceship would swoop down and carry him off, taking him far away from this place. But Lance knew that those wishes were not only unrealistic, but also more than he deserved at the moment.

 

“Lance?” He heard Pidge ask, their voice quiet. Despite Lotor continuing his speech and the murmur of the crowd, Lance could hear Pidge as if they were screaming into his ear. They didn’t sound angry which terrified Lance. They sounded hurt. “What did he mean?”

 

Lance turned slowly until he was facing his two friends, not wanting to look at the expression on their faces. Pidge looked like they were in pain. They were staring at Lance like they were looking at someone they didn’t know. Hunk looked much the same except for his clear expression of disbelief. It took everything in Lance’s power to not look away.

 

“I…” Lance croaked out, his throat suddenly closing up.

 

“Did you give Rover to Lotor?” Hunk asked, his voice not much louder than Pidge’s.

 

Lance couldn’t form words so he just nodded. There was no use in lying about it now. The jig was up and Lance didn’t have the energy to deny the truth any longer.

 

The silence between the three was louder than the cheer from the crowd as Lotor finished his speech. Lance didn’t dare say a word, not wanting to make things worse than they already were.

 

“I…” Pidge started, looking like they were on the verge of tears. “I can’t do this right now.” Pidge was shaking their head, not even looking at Lance anymore. “Let’s go, Hunk.” Pidge grabbed hold of Hunk’s arm and started pulling him back through the crowd. Hunk gave him one last pained look before following Pidge.

 

Lance watched them go, his whole being feeling numb. He wanted so desperately to blame Lotor but he knew that the fault also rested on his shoulders. He was the one who had put his well being over his friend’s. He was the one who had stolen Rover. He was the one who had lied to his friends. He was the one who had betrayed the people that mattered most to him.

And while Lotor had most definitely won, that didn’t mean he had to take it lying down. Sure, the damage had been done but things could be repaired. And Lance knew that if he didn’t at least try, he was going to regret it.

 

Through sheer will force and determination Lance managed to push his legs into action. He wove his way through the dispersing crowd, looking for any sign of Pidge or Hunk. He didn’t know what he was going to say to them or if they would even listen to him. He didn’t know if things could ever go back to the way they were before. He didn’t know anything about what the future would hold but still he pushed through the crowd with a desperation that had no equivalent.

 

He spotted them on the edge of the booths. Hunk was patting Pidge on the back reassuringly as they walked away from the competition. Lance swallowed the bile that had risen in his throat and ignored the churning of his stomach as he ran towards them.

 

“Pidge! Hunk! Wait!” He called as he neared them. He saw Pidge go rigid but they both turned to look at him. Lance stopped in front of them, panting and sweaty. “I’m...sorry.” He said between breaths.

 

“Sorry?” Pidge asked, their voice strained. “Lance, you stole my project and gave it to the shittiest person on the planet and then lied about it to my face!” Pidge’s face was turning red with anger. Their voice had risen, catching the attention of the nearby passerbys. “And you think “sorry” is going to fix it?”

 

“Of course not.” Lance replied, trying his best to keep his voice steady. “I fucked up, okay? I know that. I was scared about being turned in and I didn’t know what to do.”

 

“You should have told us!” Pidge shouted. “We could’ve helped you! That’s what friends do! They don’t go behind the others back to save their own skin!”

 

Lance could feel himself physically recoil at Pidge’s harsh words. They weren’t wrong but they were still hard to hear. He needed to make Pidge understand that he hadn’t wanted to steal Rover. “Lotor said-”

 

“Oh, don’t you dare blame this on him.” Pidge cut Lance off, no longer shouting but dangerously quiet. “No matter what Lotor said you had a choice, Lance. And you chose yourself. This is _your_ fault.”

 

Each word cut through Lance, leaving unseen scars that stung in the most deadliest of ways. He felt a wall rising between him and his friends; a separation that grew more impregnable with every word exchanged. “I didn’t...I just…” Lance stuttered, trying his best to keep up with the growing distance.

 

“I should’ve known better. I should’ve fucking known as soon as you set your sights on your little revenge scheme. You were so caught up you stopped caring about the people around you.”

 

“That’s not-” Lance started but was once again cut off by Pidge.

 

“Bullshit!” They said, an angry laugh escaping their mouth. “I thought I could trust you. Damn I was such a fool.” The trio was silent for a moment before Pidge spoke again. “Just...stay away from me. I don’t need friends I can’t trust.”

 

Pidge turned their back on Lance and started walking away. They didn’t look back.

 

Lance shifted his gaze to Hunk who had remained silent for the whole ordeal. “Hunk?” Lance asked, not trying to hide the desperation in his voice. Hunk gave Lance a pained, solemn expression before too turning his back on him and following Pidge. That action cut Lance deeper than any words could have.

 

And then they were gone.

 

There was a newfound emptiness that ached in the center of his chest. At some point, Lance wasn’t sure when, his knees gave out and he didn’t even try to remain standing. Kneeling on the ground, he gripped the grass of the field for something to steady him while tears started spilling down his face. Everything was so messed up and it was his fault.

 

In that moment, he knew that every ache of pain, every lonely night, every bad word that was said about him he rightfully deserved.

 

Lance was alone and there was no one to blame but himself.

 

\-----

 

_...So writing that was probably one of my least favorite things I’ve ever had to do; right behind literally everything that occurred in this story._

_But yeah, I guess that’s the end. That’s what happened from start to finish, no sugarcoating or excluding of details. Now you know my story. You’re free to judge me however you want._

_Has writing this given me some insight into the problem? I don’t know. It feels good to get it all off my chest though so I’m gonna take it as a win. Maybe Pidge and Hunk will never speak to me again. As of right now that seems to be the case. And I guess I’ll just have to learn to live with that. I know that some things can’t be fixed and lord knows I’ve tried. I need to accept that and move on...if only that were an easy thing to do._

_Since the story is over, I really have no reason to write you anymore. I don’t know who you are, what you look like, where you’re from, how old you are, or literally anything else about you. All I have is a name and the drawings you’ve sent me. Even so, I want you to know that I consider you a friend. Not everyone would’ve stuck through all the way to the end but you did. That’s not something I’m going to forget._

_I guess what I’m really trying to say is that I’m grateful for everything and I’ve decided that it doesn’t matter if after this we never speak again because I will always remember you. Sounds a little sappy, right? Jeez, I’m really not very good at this stuff. Goodbyes are hard._

_Goodbye, Keith. It’s been...quite an adventure. -Lance_

 

\-----

 

Keith didn’t know what to feel. He didn’t even know what to think. This was Lance’s last letter. He now knew the whole story and he had to admit, when this whole thing started he would never have imagined it to turn out like this. A week and a half ago he didn’t even know Lance existed.

 

What was he supposed to do now?

 

Keith thought it best to start simple. His mixed feelings would be a problem for future Keith to solve. Right now he owed Lance a sketch...his final sketch.

 

Keith pushed himself up off the couch in the living room and went to his room to retrieve his supplies. He stopped for a moment in front of his bulletin board, reliving the completed story. Seeing Lance’s journey all put together somehow made it seem more real and for the first time, Keith felt a deep and urgent desire to shield Lance from the pain.

 

Feeling his emotions starting to build up in him again, Keith looked away from the board and grabbed his sketchbook and pencil and retreated back out into the living room. He sat on the couch with his knees up, sketchbook resting against his legs. There was really only one scene that he thought would truly represent the story as a whole and as much as he didn’t want to draw it, he knew that no other drawing would compare.

 

The sketch didn’t take very long. He’d drawn Lance so many times by now that it was more muscle memory than anything else.  He didn’t color this one, knowing that Lance wasn’t going to be spend a lot of time looking at it and Keith didn’t blame him. Besides, Keith had a feeling that Lance would be paying more attention to the back of the sketch.

 

Keith signed his name like he always did before turning the page. He could feel a slight hesitation start to creep up on him but he knew that this last drawing was important to Lance. Keith didn’t know how or when or even if he was going to tell Lance the truth so he supposed that the least he could do was to put Lance’s mind at ease, even if only a little.

 

Before he could convince himself otherwise, Keith started writing.

 

_Dear Lance,_

_I’m not good at this kinda stuff. What do I even say? I guess I should start with thanking you. I’ve never been through something like your story so I can’t really say that I can relate or offer some advice that’ll fix everything. But what I do know is that it wasn’t easy for you to share. I should also let you know that I don’t think you’re a bad person or that you deserve all the pain you’ve endured. Clearly you were sorry for what you did...and while that might not fix things, it doesn’t count for nothing._

_I guess what it all boils down to is whether or not you believe that this one mistake is going to define the rest of your life. Or at least, that’s how I see it. I can’t give you an answer and I can’t pretend like I know what I’m talking about. What I can do is make sure you know that no matter what happens in the future, you are not alone. You will always have a friend on the other side of your letters._

_And that’s a promise. -Keith_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Did you really think I was gonna let you guys suffer over that cliffhanger? After everything I've put you through? I'm not that mean. I thought a speedy update was in everyone's best interest. Apparently there were a lot of broken hearts last chapter so...  
> As with every chapter, any and all feedback you are willing to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	23. Telling the Truth

Lance clutched Keith’s last drawing in his hand, thinking over Keith’s words. He gazed at the drawing but didn’t really see it. That was probably for the best anyway, it wasn’t something he particularly wanted to relive. The drawing was of Lance all alone, kneeling on the ground with streaks of tears running down his face. He knew that was going to be the scene that Keith chose to draw and had attempted to brace himself, but seeing the despair that he felt in that moment manifested was harder than he had imagined.

 

So instead Lance focused on Keith’s words. It hadn’t been a very long letter but it said so much. For one thing he, now had a better grasp on who Keith was. No, he still didn’t actually know anything about him, but Lance could see what kind of person he was. He was...devoted. He had stayed all the way until the end, waiting to give his opinion until he had all the facts. He even said that he would always be there and that was a promise Lance would hold him to. Even if he never wrote to him again, Keith would be there and that caused Lance’s chest to swell just a little with emotion.

 

He was also honest. He admitted that he couldn’t pretend to know what Lance had gone through but had still given him advice that was far better than any of the other advice he’d gotten on the matter. Keith had been right. Lance was sorry for what he did and even if Pidge and Hunk wouldn’t accept that, that didn’t mean he couldn’t. He was allowed to forgive himself. He was allowed to move on with his life instead of letting his past mistakes consume him. He owed it to himself to at least try for a fresh start. He deserved a life that was filled with good memories, memories that reminded him that he was worthy of happiness.

 

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Lance felt the guilt that had been ever present in the back of his mind just disappear. It was like someone had finally cleaned the dirty window that he’d been looking through for the past few months. He felt light, weightless. And although he would always regret what he did and mourn the loss of his friends, he wouldn’t let those feelings pull him down.

 

It was time for Lance to start over and he knew just the person to do that with.

 

\-----

 

Keith did not like feeling conflicted. It was an unstable feeling that made him anxious and exposed. His emotions ran wild while he was conflicted and he always felt like his life was one bad move away from spinning out of control.

 

The letters were over and so he should have no problem telling Lance who he really was. He should be excited to come clean but he wasn’t. In fact, he was quite the opposite. So that’s how he found himself seeking the advice of the one person he never thought he’d go to.

 

Keith pushed the door to the small cafe open, scanning the room quickly for any sign of Lance and was relieved to see he wasn’t there. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see Lance, it was just that he didn’t know what to say to him yet. That was kinda the whole reason he was here right now.

 

Matt was standing behind the counter like he always was, helping the small line of customers. Keith let out an irritated sigh at having to wait until he was done and took a seat at one of the small tables. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the tabletop. Usually he had some semblance of patience but not today. Today Keith felt antsy to say in the least.

 

He shifted his gaze to one of the windows in the cafe, watching as people passed by in the fading afternoon light. For a moment he felt slightly envious of them. They probably had mundanely normal lives. They didn’t have to deal with any of the shit Keith had somehow gotten himself into. They didn’t have to figure out how to tell the guy they undoubtedly had feelings for that they had lied about who they were. Not to mention the only slightly alarming fact that his brother was currently hunting him. That was also something that they didn’t have to deal with.

 

How was he supposed to tell Lance any of that? ‘Hey, Lance. Just thought you might like to know that my real name is Keith and I’m the guy who was getting your letters. Also, my brother works for the police and is looking for you so that’s fun.’  

 

No, Lance would never speak to him again if he said that. At the very least he’d think Keith was insane and at the most he’d get angry at Keith for lying to him. Damn...things were a little messed up right now.

 

Keith heard the chair across from him slide and he turned his attention to Matt who was sitting down with a tired sigh.

 

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite artist.” Matt said, his voice almost mocking. “What brings you to our quaint little cafe at this time of day?”

 

Keith couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Matt’s usual ridiculousness. “Shouldn’t you be working?” He asked, looking past Matt to the counter with no one behind it.

 

“I’m on break.” Matt replied casually.

 

“Does Allura know that?” Keith asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

“She’ll realize soon enough.” Matt said with a devious smile.

 

“How have you not been fired yet?”

 

“Keith, Keith, Keith…” Matt said shaking his head with a small laugh. “I know too much to be fired. That’s the secret to keeping a job. That’s why they say knowledge is power.”

 

“...what?” Keith asked, giving Matt a confused look.

 

“Forget it.” Matt said with a wave of his hand. “Enough about me. When are you going to tell me why you’re here?”

 

Keith sighed, dropping his gaze to the table. He wrung his hands together in nervousness under the table, trying to formulate the correct way to explain his issue. “I think I made a mistake and...I’m not really sure how to fix it.”

 

Matt leaned forward, his curiosity peaked. “Is this about Lance?” Keith only nodded in response. “Is this about how he thinks your name is Kegan and you don’t know how to tell him you’re actually Keith? Ya know, the Keith that he’s been writing to?” Keith nodded again. “Well, shit man. That’s a tall order.”

 

Keith ran a hand through his hair. “I know, I know. I just...don’t want him to get mad.”

 

At that Matt let out a bark of laughter that caught Keith a little off guard. “I thought you’d at least know Lance a little by now.”

 

“What do you mean?” Keith asked.

 

“Lance isn’t the kind of person that would get mad about something like that.” Matt explained.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Listen,” Matt replied. “I’ve known Lance for a couple of years now and not once have I ever seen him get mad at anyone he considers a friend. He might get annoyed. He might be a little hurt, but mad? Not a chance.”

 

Keith didn’t respond at first, too lost in his own thoughts. So far Matt had given him some pretty good advice so he had no reason not to follow it now. “So,” He finally said. “You think I should just tell him the truth?”

 

“Of course I do. In all honesty I think Lance will be thrilled to know that you and Kegan are one in the same.”

 

Matt made it sound easy, like telling Lance the truth was as easy as walking down the street but Keith knew better. He knew that it wasn’t going to be easy but that didn’t mean that Matt didn’t have a point.

 

As if sensing Keith’s train of thought, Matt said in a voice quieter than the one he’d been using previously, “I know that telling the truth isn’t always easy but in this case I think Lance deserves to know. Wouldn’t you want to know if you were in his shoes?”

 

Keith had to admit that Matt had a point. If their positions were reversed he would want to know who Lance really was. “I think you’re right…” Keith said quietly.

 

“Good.” Matt said, looking past Keith. “Cause here’s your chance.”

 

Keith spun in his chair to see Lance entering the cafe, looking a little deflated. Keith turned quickly back around, fear in his eyes, looking to Matt to help ease the process but Matt had already stood up and was walking back towards the counter. Of course it was like him to leave at a time like this. “Shit, shit, _shit!_ ” Keith muttered under his breath. What was he supposed to do?

 

“Kegan?” He heard Lance ask, his voice filled with sunshine despite his tired appearance. Keith did his best to turn around casually but it probably came off as more stiff than anything. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.” The smile on Lance’s face was warm and genuine, like seeing Keith had somehow made his whole day better. He seemed different but not in an alarming way. It was a good different. A different that brought with it a feeling of new beginnings which Keith found comforting. He wondered briefly if it had to do with Keith’s letter. Regardless, Keith found his nerves relaxing slightly and a small smile forming on his face. No matter if he was Keith or Kegan, being around Lance gave him a feeling he’d never experienced and always left him wanting more.

 

“Yeah, um Matt needed me for something…” Keith lied. Lance seemed to accept the lie with no further questions and sat in the same seat Matt had just been in. Keith could feel his heart pounding against his ribs and he wasn’t sure if it was at the thought of what Keith was about to say or if it was simply due to the fact that Lance was in his presence. Keith had a feeling it was a little bit of both.

 

Keith had no doubt in his mind that this conversation was going to be life changing.

 

\-----

 

Lance had entered the cafe and immediately spotted Kegan. It wasn’t like he was looking for him, but it was hard not to notice someone like him. There was something about Kegan’s presence that Lance was drawn to. Something about the way he talked, the way he laughed, the way he listened, the way he understood Lance, the way he looked when he was lost deep within his own thoughts, the way he could be so focused, and more than anything else, the way he looked at Lance that made Lance crave his company.

 

Lance hadn’t realized when he’d left his dorm earlier that afternoon that he had been looking for Kegan until he saw him. When he sat down across from Kegan he could tell that the other was worried about something and he had half a mind as to ask him what it was but he decided against it, Matt’s words about letting Kegan take things at his own pace echoing in his mind. If Kegan wanted to tell him, he would.

 

In the end, it was Kegan who spoke first. “You’re tired.” It wasn’t a question and Lance could hear the subtle hints of concern present in his voice.

 

“Just a little.” Lance said lightly. “It’s been a rather...full day.”

 

“Oh?” Kegan asked, raising an eyebrow. “How so?”

 

Lance thought for a moment before saying, “So, I had this pen pal person.” He wasn’t going to tell Kegan the whole truth. No doubt he’d think he was insane.

 

“Had?”

 

“Yeah.” Lance nodded. “He sent me his last letter today.” Lance could’ve sworn that he saw Kegan stiffen slightly but he decided to ignore it for the moment, playing it off as a trick of the eyes. “And he gave me some stuff to think about, ya know?” Kegan was silent, his expression unreadable. “And I should mention that I don’t know who this guy is and part of me wanted to meet him. I wanted to see what he looks like and hear his voice and whatnot.” Lance leaned back in his chair with a tired happy sigh. “But I realized I don’t want to anymore. It doesn’t matter who he is or where he is or whatever.”

 

“Why’s that?” Kegan asked, his voice sounding a little hoarse.

 

Lance paused for a moment, dropping his eyes to the table. He didn’t know how to say exactly what he meant. He was afraid the words would get lost in translation.

 

“Because you want to focus on the people that are physically in your life?” Kegan offered after a few moments of silence.

 

“Exactly!” Lance said, excited that Kegan had understood. “I mean, I’ll always appreciate him and be grateful for what he taught me, but I don’t need a mystery person to give me some sort of validation. But people I know? People I can see? That’s how I can...well, be happy I guess.”

 

Lance wasn’t sure what he had expected Kegan’s reaction to be but he was still surprised when Kegan stood up abruptly.

 

“I…I have to go…” Kegan’s voice was shaky in a way that Lance had never heard before. He didn’t even give time for Lance to react before he was gone, exiting the cafe and disappearing into the crowd.

 

Lance stared after him, dumbfounded. He couldn’t understand what had just happened. Had he offended him in some way? He didn’t see how he could have.

 

Lance did everything he could to ignore the sudden and painful pang that resonated throughout his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Y'all are too nice to me, I swear. You're a bunch of sweethearts. There's literally no reason for me to say this because you guys are so good at giving me feedback but I'm gonna anyway: Any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated and extremely motivating.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	24. Breaking Down

Keith slammed the door to the apartment behind him and leaned against it. His head was spinning and it felt like he’d just been punched in the gut. He felt like he was moments away from being sick. He rested his head against the door and closed his eyes, doing his best to swallow the bile that had risen in his throat.

 

Keith had come to one conclusion as he leaned against the door: Life was really shitty.

 

What had he done to deserve this? What god had he accidentally angered? He didn’t know. But at least now he knew what Lance wanted. Lance wanted Kegan, not Keith. He wanted the guy that painted oceans for him, the guy that laid under the stars with him. He didn’t want the guy that knew his story. And as much as Keith didn’t want to admit it to himself, he couldn’t be Kegan anymore. Not after what Lance had said. He couldn’t continue lying to Lance, giving him some false hope that Kegan was everything he’d been looking for. That wasn’t fair to Lance and it wasn’t fair to himself.

 

“Keith? You okay?” He heard Shiro call from the other room.

 

It took Keith only a moment to snap out of his thoughts and respond. “Uh, yeah. Yeah I’m good.” He tried to make his voice convincing and natural. He pushed himself off the door and entered the kitchen where Shiro was working on his latest case, Lance’s case. Keith ignored the fear that settled into his stomach.

 

Shiro looked up as he entered and said, “So how long did you think you could keep the truth from me?”

 

Keith froze, his eyes widening slightly at Shiro’s words. Had Shiro solved the case? Did he figure out that it was Lance who assaulted the night janitor and then somehow know that Keith hadn’t told him that he knew? He knew Shiro was good but he didn’t know he was _that_ good. “I-I...don’t know what you’re talking about.” Keith stuttered, his voice even less convincing than before.

 

Shiro gave him a stern look. “Don’t play games with me. You had to have known that I’d figure it out eventually.”

 

“Figure what out?” Keith asked quietly. He felt like he was suffocating under Shiro’s gaze. Shiro just continued to stare at him, waiting for Keith to cave.

 

And so Keith did. His shoulders slouched as he let out a defeated breath. “Okay, look. I know you’re mad and I wanted to tell you, I really did but things were just so complicated and…” He turned his gaze to Shiro who was giving Keith an amused smile. “Why are you smiling?”

 

Shiro started to laugh and held up his hands in mock surrender. “I was kidding. I don’t expect you to tell me about your love life.”

 

“My...love life?” Keith asked, tilting his head to the side in slight confusion.

 

Shiro let out another small laugh. “Matt told me you started hanging around with some guy...Lance I think his name was?” Keith gave a small nod at that. “I guess that explains all of your weird behavior these last couple of weeks.”

 

Keith didn’t know if he should feel relieved or horrified. Of course Matt told Shiro about him and Lance and in all honesty, Keith couldn’t really blame him. It wasn’t like it was a secret after all. However, Keith knew Shiro and knew exactly what Shiro was going to say next.

 

“You should invite him over sometime. I’d love to meet him.”

 

And there it was. Keith knew with a hundred percent certainty that he could not invite Lance over, the biggest issue being the wanted poster that was currently sitting on the table in front of Shiro. Keith needed a way out and he needed it now.

 

“I don’t know what Matt told you but it’s not like we’re dating or anything and I don’t even really know him that well and,” Keith started to back out of the kitchen, firing off excuses from the top of his head, “he’s super shy and he really hates cops and he’s claustrophobic so being in a small apartment like this wouldn’t be good for him and I just think we should wait until...all of those things are resolved. Sound good? Good.” At that Keith turned away from a confused looking Shiro and hightailed it out of the kitchen. It wasn’t his smoothest work ever but it got the job done.

 

Keith sought refuge in his room. Too much had happened in such a short period of time and he needed time to process. Things were just too complicated right now and Keith was not great at dealing with complicated. But as Keith had learned time and time again life rarely gave him what he wanted. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he fished it out.

 

**Lance: you’re upset and I don’t know why**

 

**Lance: but if it’s my fault then I’m sorry**

 

Keith didn’t respond to the messages not because he didn’t want to talk to Lance, he simply didn’t know what he was supposed to say. It wouldn’t have taken a detective to know that he had clearly been running away from Lance, and he knew that no excuse was going to be good enough aside from the truth.

 

God, Lance deserved so much better than Keith. He deserved someone who wouldn’t be afraid to tell him the truth, someone who Lance could count on. Right now, Keith was none of those things and the guilt was eating him alive.

 

His phone buzzed again and he saw that it was Lance. He didn’t want to look at the message but forced himself to anyway. He could at least do that for Lance.

 

**Lance: Kegan, please just talk to me**

 

Keith threw his phone like it had burned him. It landed on his bed with a soft thud, screen facing down so Keith couldn’t see the message. He didn’t want to see that name. Kegan. He wished he had never said it in the first place.

 

Keith took a few steps back until his back was pressed against the wall of his room. He slid down the wall until he was seated on the floor, collapsing under the weight of his confusion. He pressed the palms of his hands to his eyes, desperately trying to block out...well, everything.

 

“Time…” Keith muttered to himself. “I just need some time…”

 

\-----

 

It had been three days since Kegan had run out of the cafe. Three days since Lance had even so much as caught a glimpse of him. He had gone over the conversation in the cafe with Kegan time and time again in hopes that he would suddenly understand where he had went wrong. He couldn’t see it. It simply made no sense.

 

He had tried texting Kegan, calling Kegan, checking to see if he was at the cafe but no matter what he did, Kegan remained silent and unseen. If Lance was being perfectly honest with himself, he was, in all senses of the word, heartbroken. It was true that he hadn’t known Kegan for very long and it wasn’t like they were together or dating or whatever, but Lance had to admit that he missed him. He hadn’t realized how much he had needed him until he was gone. Now, all that was left was a dull ache in his chest and a feeling of disappointment entirely directed at himself.

 

Lance’s mind tended to run wild when he was left alone so instead he headed to the one place he knew would bring comfort, the cafe. In not anything else, at least Allura’s coffee would warm him up. It had only been getting colder, the warm autumn breezes turning into brisk winds that turned his face red and numbed his fingertips.

 

He pushed open the door to the cafe and entered, relieved to be out of the dimmed evening light which only brought lower temperatures. It took him only a moment to know that Kegan wasn’t in the cafe, but he hadn’t expected him to be. That would’ve been too easy. Instead, the only person inside was Allura who was standing behind the counter. She looked up from whatever task she was doing at the sound of Lance entering.

 

“Back again?” She asked, her voice carrying a sympathetic tone.

 

“You know me.” Lance joked halfheartedly. “I just can’t stay away from your coffee.” Lance had reached the counter and was leaning against it.

 

She gave him a soft smile before pulling out a cup. “Still no word?”

 

Lance had confided in Allura about his Kegan situation the previous night and she had told him to be patient. She said she was sure he would come around. Lance wasn’t so sure, however. He knew all too well that some broken things couldn’t be fixed. He just wished he knew how he had broken it.

 

“None.” Lance replied. “But I’m not giving up just yet.”

 

“No? Good. It’s important to have hope.” Allura said.

 

Lance only nodded and sighed in response. Hope? He definitely had it but he wasn’t sure for how much longer.

 

“Ya know what? You need a distraction.”

 

“Distraction?” Lance asked, slightly curious.

 

“Yes. To take your mind off things. A good, proper distraction.” She replied, her expression turning slightly serious if not a little motherly.

 

“And I take it you have something in mind?”

 

Allura gave a firm nod before pointing to the flyer hanging off the counter. “The day after tomorrow we’re having a party here to announce the winner of the contest. You should come. You can meet new people, see some great art, and try Coran’s amazing new oatmeal cookies recipe. It’ll be fun!”

 

“I don’t know…” Lance said, eyeing the flyer hesitantly.

 

“You’re coming and that’s final.” She said, ending the discussion.

 

Lance let out a little snort at her assertiveness. “Yes, my princess. Whatever you command. I’ll be there.”

 

“Good.” She said, setting his coffee down on the counter. “And if you’re not, I’ll come drag you out of your dorm myself.”

 

“Won’t you be too busy with the party?” Lance asked, handing Allura his card.

 

“Fine. Then I’ll make Shiro do it.”

 

“No!” Lance said quickly, remembering the large presence of Shiro. He had a feeling being dragged around by him would not be fun. “I’ll be there.”

 

Allura gave him an innocent smile and handed his card back to him. “See you on Thursday.”

 

Lance only waved as he left the cafe, still a little shaken by her threat. “Thursday.” Lance said quietly to himself after taking a sip of coffee. “Something to look forward to I suppose.”

 

\-----

 

Allura arrived late to Shiro and Keith’s apartment, having closed the cafe only an hour ago. She let herself in and went straight to the kitchen where the light was still on. She wasn’t surprised to see Shiro seated at the small table, pouring over files and squinting at the laptop screen in front of him.

 

“Tough case?” She asked, setting her purse on the table. Shiro looked up at her, slight bags under his eyes.

 

“There’s just so little to go on.” He said, sounding a little irritated. “Plus we only got the security tapes today. The only thing we’re positive of is that it’s someone who goes to the university.”

 

“Yeah?” She asked, genuinely curious. “How do you figure?”

 

“Based on height and weight we estimate that he’s in his early twenties, possibly even late teens. He didn’t steal anything so that means he was there for a different reason. According to the university, that building is notorious for being broken into by students who want to hack the servers. My guess is that’s why he’s there. I’m going to the university tomorrow to ask around and see if anyone knows anything. It probably won’t turn up anything but I’ve got no other leads so…” Shiro leaned back in his chair with a tired sigh.

 

Allura rounded the table and placed her hands on his shoulders, gently massaging them. “You’re going to figure this out just like you always do. I know you’ll get your guy.”

 

“Well that makes one of us.” Shiro said with a small laugh. “But you’re right. It’s only a matter of time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	25. Starcatcher

Keith stood alone in the studio looking at his now completed painting. This had been the latest he had ever stayed at the studio. His shoulders ached and there was a tiredness behind his eyes, but in the end, Keith believed it was worth it. In his opinion, it was perfect. Everything about the piece was just...well, breathtaking. All that was left to do was to turn it in before tomorrow. After that, it was out of his hands.

 

Keith grabbed his phone from where it sat on the stool and checked the time. The cafe was open for another hour, just enough time for him to drop it off on his way home.

 

He glanced at the painting one last time, his gaze lingering on the face that he hadn’t seen in days. He felt an almost stabbing sensation in his chest. He wasn’t going to lie to himself, he missed Lance. He missed his piercing blue eyes, the sound of his laugh, the warmth of his hand in Keith’s...he missed all of it. But he knew that right now, with everything going on between Shiro hunting Lance and Keith still not telling him the truth that seeing Lance was not a good idea. So Keith would just have to live with the pain for a little while longer. At least until he could figure a way out of the mess he’d gotten himself into.

 

Keith shook his head, tearing his eyes away from the painting. He would have time to wallow in self pity later. Right now, he had a painting to turn in.

 

\-----

 

“Allura will be thrilled that you submitted something.” Coran said after he had reemerged from the back where he had stored Keith’s painting. “She’s always wanted to display your art.”

 

“Yeah, Shiro told me.” Keith replied with a slight nod. “Who’s going to be the judge?”

 

“Allura is of course.” Coran said, picking up a towel and wiping off the counter.

 

“Isn’t that a little, ya know, biased?” Keith asked.

 

Coran gave a shrug. “Maybe. But it’s her cafe and her money that she’s giving away. She should be the one to decide where it goes. Besides, it’s not in Allura’s nature to play favorites, you should know that.”

 

Keith had to admit he had a point. Allura was all about fairness and equality. A trait that she had probably gotten from Coran. He had a weird ability to not take sides...which gave Keith an idea. “Hey, Coran. Can I ask you something...hypothetically of course.”

 

“Shoot!” Coran said, not glancing up from the his task.

 

“Let’s say you liked this person...like a lot. They were everything you could’ve ever wanted and more. But due to some weird...circumstances you had lied to them about who you are. And now you’re afraid that if you tell them the truth, you’ll ruin everything. You’re worried that they’ll get mad or even hate you...but it’s not like you haven’t tried to tell them before. Oh, you’ve tried but something happens and it gets even more screwed up and…” Keith trailed off, looking at the counter in front of him, his fingers gripping the edge for dear life. “What would you do?”

 

Coran let out a low whistle. “That’s quite a question, Keith. Are you sure this is just hypothetical?”

 

Keith gave a little nod, glancing up at Coran who had know moved on to cleaning one of the machines. “Yeah.”

 

“Alright, then. I’d say that it’s out of my control.”

 

“What do you mean?” Keith asked.

 

“One way or another they’re eventually going to find out the truth. It’s inevitable. And they’ll probably be hurt, angry, possibly never want to speak with me again.” Coran’s voice was almost casual but Keith was hanging on to every word like it was his lifeline. “I can’t control _if_ they’re going to find out, but I can control _when_. It might be better if I came clean about my mistakes rather than let them find out on their own. It probably wouldn’t solve everything but…” Coran looked at Keith with a friendly smirk. “It might soften the blow, leave a better chance for survival.”

 

Keith’s head was spinning. He knew that Coran was absolutely right. Some things he just couldn’t control but that didn’t mean he had to drive with both hands off the wheel. Keith could decide how and when to tell Lance and that fact brought a slight feeling of comfort to him.

 

_“I know that telling the truth isn’t always easy but in this case I think Lance deserves to know. Wouldn’t you want to know if you were in his shoes?”_

 

Matt’s words echoed in Keith’s mind like a broken record player. Matt had been right too. Lance deserved to know. He deserved to know everything. What use was there is putting off something that was bound to happen? How had Keith not seen that before?

 

Keith’s eyes darted upward to a Coran that was giving Keith a curious look. “Coran, you’re a genius.”

 

Coran gave him a sly smile as Keith turned from the counter to exit the cafe. “Believe me, boy, I know.”

 

\-----

 

Lance was surprisingly excited when he woke up Thursday morning. There was a certain energy present that he had been lacking the last couple of days. Lance was positive that today was going to be a good day. He was determined to let nothing sour his mood. After the emotional rollercoaster he had been on for the last two weeks he deserved a day to just be his normal goofy self.

 

During his classes that morning he couldn’t stop his leg from shaking, excitement for the cafe’s contest party coursing through him. Originally, he hadn’t been that pumped for it. His idea of fun wasn’t exactly standing around and looking at art. But the more he thought about it, the more excited he got. There was going to be free coffee and just a multitude of assorted treats that Coran had baked himself. There was going to be people there that he could talk to and despite his lack of social encounters lately, he was sure that he’d be making friends in no time. This party was a perfect gateway to starting over...and it also served to get his mind off Kegan.

 

As soon as his last class was over he practically ran to the small cafe where the party was already in full swing. He entered and was greeted by a sea of people that shouldn’t have been able to fit in the tiny shop but somehow did. Along the walls and displayed on some of the tables were paintings and sculptures the likes of which Lance had never seen before. He hadn’t realized that so many talented artist went to his school.

 

He didn’t hesitate to dive into the crowd, weaving between people in order to find Allura. Letting her know he was here was probably a smart idea if he didn’t want to be hunted by Shiro. It didn’t take him very long to spot her long white hair. She was standing by one of the walls of the cafe with Matt, admiring an extremely detailed painting of a rose.

 

“Allura!” He called as he neared her.

 

She turned at the sound of her name, her face lighting up when she spotted Lance. “Lance! You came!”

 

“You threatened to drag me here if I didn’t.” Lance said flatly, causing Matt to let out a snort.

 

“Yeah, that sounds like her.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said innocently, the friendly smile not leaving her face. Lance had no doubts that she was over the moon at the turnout.

 

“Have you announced the winner yet?” Lance asked.

 

“Oh, yes. You just missed it.” She said, giving him an apologetic look. “You can’t see it from here because of the people but it’s on the opposite wall.” She pointed across the room. “I think you’ll be very interested to see what won. You should go take a look.”

 

“Yeah?” Lance asked, raising an eyebrow at her curiously. “Alright, I’ll go judge for myself if this painting is a worthy winner.”

 

Matt and Allura exchanged a knowing look that only served to peak Lance’s curiosity more, and before he had even realized that his legs were moving, he was weaving through the crowd once more.

 

It took him a couple of minutes to make it over to the wall Allura had pointed to. The crowd seemed to only be getting thicker. But eventually the crowd parted enough for Lance to get his first glimpse of the winning piece.

 

He felt his heart stop.

 

It was him.

 

He was looking at himself.

 

He was falling...no, that wasn’t right. He was floating. He was suspended amongst the stars, body curled ever so slightly as he clutched a light to his chest. The light illuminated the features of his face, showing his serene expression. His hair danced in the weightlessness of space as his fingers curled gently around the small light. There was a peace to the painting that Lance had never experienced before. It stirred something deep within him that he couldn’t put a name to.

 

He tore his eyes away from the painting long enough to read the tag that was posted next to it.

 

_Starcatcher_

 

Lance read the name three times before shifting his gaze back to the painting, a small smile making its way onto his face.

 

“Starcatcher, huh?” He muttered to himself. “Sounds about right.” He let out a small laugh as his eyes continued to scan the painting. Something about it was familiar and it wasn’t just because he was looking at himself. The style, the mix of colors, the overall personality of the painting was nagging at him. Like the painting itself was worming its way into his mind as if trying to dislodge a memory that he just couldn’t recall.

 

Lance let his eyes drift down to the corner of the piece, not even aware of what he was looking for until he found it.

 

_Keith K._

 

If Lance hadn’t currently been surrounded by people he would’ve screamed. Instead, he stood motionless, eyes glued to the small signature. It couldn’t be possible. It couldn’t be real. Someone must be playing some sort of sick joke on him. There was no way. It simply wasn’t possible.

 

Lance wasn’t sure how long he stood there, trying to comprehend what he was seeing, but finally his brain came to one conclusion: Keith, the same Keith that he’d been writing to, had painted this piece of him and entered it into the contest.

 

_Keith was here._

 

Lance’s limbs kicked into overdrive and he spun around, scanning the crowd. Any one of these people could be Keith. How was he supposed to know who he was? His mind was racing as he tried to think of a way, _any kind of way_ , to find him. Now that he knew Keith was so close he couldn’t lose him. Being able to meet Keith in person changed everything.  

 

Lance once again spotted Allura’s white hair across the room and he pushed his way through the crowd towards it, not even bothering to apologize to those he bumped into.

 

“Allura!” Lance called as he neared her. She was by herself this time, the joyful look still on her face. Lance in his frantic state gripped her shoulders tightly, frightening her ever so slightly.

 

“Lance? What’s wrong?”

 

“Who painted that? You have to tell me who he is.” Lance demanded.

 

“It says right on the painting.” She explained, trying to pry his fingers from around her arms.

 

“I know what was on the painting but you have to tell me who that is!” Lance couldn’t keep his voice from rising. There were butterflies in his stomach and he was pretty sure his heart had never beat faster.

 

Allura seemed to understand what he meant because her expression softened and she stopped trying to break free of him. She shifted her eyes to the crowd, scanning for the stranger named Keith. Lance held his breath as he felt the anticipation start to surge through him.

 

“He’s right there. That’s him.” She said, nodding her head in the direction of the entrance.

 

Lance followed her gaze, hands slightly trembling, until his eyes landed on the man she was looking at.

 

There, standing in the entrance to the cafe, was Kegan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> It had to happen eventually, right? It only took twenty-five chapters I suppose. To be honest I hadn't planned on it taking this long to get to this point but I got carried away with my writing as usual.  
> Also on a side note, I've literally had the idea for the painting of Lance since I wrote chapter 1 and I'm so excited that I finally get to share it with you. If there are any artistic people out there with a desire to draw what that would actually look like please do not hesitate. I would love for that to happen. I would do it myself but I have zero artistic ability. Good at writing...not so good at drawing. It's a tragedy, I know.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are able and willing to give is greatly appreciated. I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of screaming this chapter so feel free to scream at me.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	26. His Name

Keith had always been fond of his name partly because he thought it suited him well but mostly because as a child growing up in the foster system, sometimes it was the only thing he had. Living in a house with ten other children it was easy to become just a number, and no matter how many times he had been called ‘seven’ or ‘four’, they couldn’t take away his name, not entirely. They could take everything else away from him, and in some cases they did, but not his name. That was permanent. It was the thing he could hold onto at night when he wasn’t sure what the next day would hold. All he had to do was whisper it over and over again in a cadence that mirrored the soft breathing of the other children in the room and he felt, if only for a moment, safe.

 

As he got older he found different ways to use his name. He found that instead of drawing comfort with it, he could inspire fear. And so he did. By the age of nine he had been to thirteen different foster homes and each time he made sure that the other kids knew that he wasn’t to be messed with. ‘Keith’ quickly became infamous and was used as a warning rather than a sign of hope. And for awhile Keith liked it that way. It was how he survived. In a house that was either eat or be eaten it was every child for themselves and Keith never went down without a fight.

 

But then something changed, something he did not expect. He remember the first time he met Shiro. It was the first time someone had truly said his name without sounding indifferent or terrified.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“The name’s Shiro.”

 

“That’s a stupid name.”

 

“Says you. I bet your name is even stupider.”

 

“Is not! I have an awesome name! It’s probably the coolest name you’ve ever heard!”

 

“You think so, tough guy. Then what is it?”

 

“...Keith.”

 

“Keith, huh? That is pretty cool. It’s nice to meet you, Keith.”

 

Even as a teenager Shiro had been mature and level-headed, the perfect opposite to Keith. After meeting Shiro, Keith learned that his name could be used for other things. Things that were more than just fear or comfort. Things like warmth and love and family. Things that Keith found as soon as he was taken in by Shiro’s family. It was a whole different world for him. Shiro had shown him that and he knew that nothing he ever did could compare to his kindness, but that certainly didn’t stop him from trying.

 

Throughout Keith’s entire life, through the good, the bad, and the lonely, not once did Keith ever hate his name. But he would soon learn that things could change in a way that he had never anticipated.

 

“Keith?”

 

In the instant that he heard his name uttered by the one voice that shouldn’t have been saying it, Keith hated his name. He hated the way it sounded painful, like razors had cut his tongue. He hated the way it sounded betrayed, like Keith had turned him over to the enemy. He hated how softly it came out, like if it was whispered it would soften the blow. Keith hated every aspect of his name in that one moment when Lance said it.

 

Turning towards Lance was an automatic response built up after years of being called ‘Keith’. And as he did, all the pain and betrayal that Keith had heard manifested in Lance’s eyes. The blue eyes that he hadn’t seen in days. The very eyes that infiltrated his dreams and caused his entire being to feel lighter.

 

“That is you, right? You’re Keith?” Lance’s voice was almost inaudible, like he didn’t know if he wanted Keith to be Keith or not.

 

Keith found he didn’t have a voice at all. His mind had gone blank, only waking up briefly to register that Lance was saying Keith, not Kegan. But, Keith couldn’t say nothing. Lance deserved more than that.

 

“I…” Was all Keith could say before his throat closed up.

 

And then they were moving. In an instant, Lance had grabbed Keith’s arm and pulled him out of the small cafe and down the street, not even bothering to look back at him. Not until the two had turned down a deserted alley a few buildings down from the cafe. Only then did Lance release his arm and face him once more, blue eyes burning into grey.

 

“Why did you lie? Why didn’t you tell me?” Lance didn’t sound angry and part of Keith wished he were. That might make it a little easier. “I can’t believe you were right in front of me this whole time and you didn’t _say_ anything.”

 

“I wanted to.” Keith said quietly, not taking his eyes off of Lance.

 

“Then why didn’t you? It would’ve been so easy.” Lance’s voice was still soft, a strain to it that could only be interpreted as pain.

 

Keith knew there was no way he could explain his reasoning to Lance in a way that painted him in a good light. He knew he messed up but Lance had told Keith his story without any sugarcoating and so it was only fair that Keith did the same. Keith could do that, if not for himself then at least for Lance.

 

“I screwed up, okay?” Keith said, finding some strength to lace his voice with. “Big time. At first I was scared that you would stop writing to me. I was scared that if you knew how close I was that you wouldn’t finish your story...and I didn’t want that.” Keith lowered his voice a little, his eyes shifting from Lance to the ground. “But then...things changed. I...became Kegan to you and you...actually wanted to be with Kegan. And things started going so well that I thought if I told you the truth...I might disappoint you.” Keith could feel a tide of emotions threatening to spill out of him but he held them back. “And...and the thought of losing you when I was so close was…” Keith searched for the word and found it when he glanced back up at Lance’s face. “Unbearable.”

 

Keith paused to take a deep breath and analyze Lance’s expression. The pain was still there but there was also something else. Something much more raw than what had been there before.

 

“So, yeah.” Keith said. “I’m Keith. The Keith that’s been drawing to you and the Keith that knows your story. He’s me...and I’m so sorry that I can’t be the Kegan you want.”

 

A silence stretched between the two, only the sound of the wind blowing through the alley breaking it. Keith didn’t know what else he could say. In the end, Coran had been wrong. Keith didn’t have control over when Lance would find out. Or maybe he did but he had waited too long. Lance had found out all on his own and now Keith was going to pay the price for it. He was sure that any moment Lance would walk away, never wanting to have anything to do with Keith ever again. Keith waited for the blow that would send him spiraling downward.

 

Instead he watched as Lance’s shoulders started to shake and he covered his face with his hand. At first he thought Lance was crying but when he heard the soft laughter break the silence between them he almost thought that he was dreaming.

 

“You’re an idiot.” Lance choked out between laughs.

 

That certainly wasn’t what Keith had expected to hear but he had no time to ponder it as he was suddenly enveloped in warmth. It took Keith’s mind a minute to catch up to reality. The first thing he felt was his knees go weak and if it weren’t for Lance’s arms wrapped around him, pulling him tightly against his chest, Keith would’ve surely fallen. Lance invaded Keith’s senses, becoming an overpowering force that caused his heart to race and his stomach to turn. Keith’s hands moved on their own as they reached up and gripped Lance’s jacked for dear life. Keith buried his face in Lance’s shoulder, taking in the scent of Lance and committing it to memory.  Keith didn’t know what was happening but he did know that he had never felt safer than that moment, standing in an alley in Lance’s embrace.

 

“Kegan, Keith...your name doesn’t matter.” Lance said softly, his voice honey-like in Keith’s ear. “All that matters is that you’re you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

 

Keith couldn’t help the single tear that escaped his eye and stained Lance’s jacket. It was in that moment that Keith learned the last and most valuable lesson about his name.

 

While a name can bring stability in times of need as Keith had learned so many years ago, there were times a name had no place in defining who he was.

 

\-----

 

Matt had watched from the sidelines as Lance had approached Allura. He had watched as Allura had pointed out Keith and had seen as the two had eventually left the cafe. He resisted the urge to follow them, knowing that this conversation was for them and them alone. Besides, he was sure he was going to be hearing about it for a long time anyway. Instead, Matt turned his attention to Allura who was staring at the door to the cafe with a satisfied look on her face.

 

Matt approached her with a lazy smile on his face and said, “What happened to ‘If either of them aren’t ready and you forced them together? Things could turn bad very quickly.’?”

 

Allura gave a small laugh in response before saying, “I got a little tired of them...dancing around this. I just gave them a little push.”

 

“More like a shove.” Matt said. “Aren’t you worried at all that things won’t go well?”

 

Allura shook her head. “No. I have a good feeling that this was always how it was supposed to end, your meddling and all.”

 

“Hey, I helped the situation.” Matt said, his voice becoming slightly defensive.

 

Allura only let out another laugh. “Of course.”

 

Matt only had time to roll his eyes before Allura gasped, her hand flinging towards her heart as if to grasp it. Matt watched her silently as her eyes became distant. It was a few moments before she seemed to focus back in on Matt.

 

“There it was...see? I told you we have nothing to worry about. Those two will be fine. I do admit, though, I will miss these feelings.”

 

“What? You mean you won’t feel...whatever it is you feel anymore?” Matt asked curiously.

 

“Not for them, no. My part in their...let’s call it a journey is done and so is yours. No more meddling in their relationship, you hear me?”

 

“Yes, ma’am.” Matt said, giving her a mock salute.

 

“You’re going to continue to meddle, aren’t you?”

 

“Was there really ever any question?”

 

\-----

 

“Shouldn’t you be gone by now?”

 

Shiro looked up from the papers he had been reading at his colleague Rolo who had plopped down in the chair next to his desk.

 

“Don’t you have that cafe party for your girlfriend or something?”

 

“It doesn’t end until six so I’ve got time.” Shiro replied, looking back down at the files spread over his desk. “And I can’t leave now. This is the first real lead I’ve gotten.”

 

“Oh yeah? Finally gonna solve that cold case?”

 

Shiro glance up again at Rolo, knowing that he wasn’t going to leave until he gave him some details. “We got an anonymous tip this morning about who the guy might be. I’m checking him against the security tapes to see if it’s a match. So far it looks promising.”  

 

“So who’s your guy?” Rolo asked, leaning forward out of curiosity.

 

Shiro pulled a picture out of one of the files and slid it across the desk towards Rolo. “His name is Lance McClain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> So I got a couple things to say so stick with me here:  
> First, I want to point out that these last two chapters were the thing that started this whole story and I've been waiting to write them for so long. They certainly lived up to my expectations and I hope they lived up to yours.  
> Second, I think it's only fair to warn you that we're heading into the homestretch. I'm still not sure how many chapters I've got left but I can see the end. And in case you care, I am super bummed about that. I've enjoyed writing this so much and I really don't want it to end.  
> And lastly, I've been blessed, you've been blessed, we've all collectively been blessed. I said in the last chapter that if anyone wanted to bring Keith's Starcatcher painting to life then they should and boy oh boy did someone deliver.  
> The wonderful Blazing Dark Fyre rose to the occasion and created a truly wonderful piece of art that I would like to share with you all. You can find it here as well as a link to Blazing Dark Fyre's youtube channel where she has posted a speedpaint of the piece. It is absolutely amazing and I hope you love it as much as I do.  
> (The link might not work because AO3 hates me and is determined to give me a headache. If that's the case I'll try to fix it but you can also find the piece by going to my tumblr @canyoufeelthelagnsttonight)  
> If I receive any others down the road I will be sure to share them with you guys.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay
> 
> ***EDIT: AO3 wins, holy shit. It does not like me at all. Here's the sloppy looking version of the link because I give up:
> 
>  
> 
> <https://canyoufeelthelangsttonight.tumblr.com/post/165918771283/starcatcher-i-have-been-blessed-on-this-night>  
> 


	27. Tasting Perfection

There were precious few times in Lance’s life that he could point to and say ‘There. That’s when the stars aligned just for me’ and so he was determined to live in those moments for as long as he could when they happened. This time was no different.

 

He was so completely blown away by everything that just occurred that he was scared it wasn’t really real. So he held Keith closer to him, afraid that if he were to let go, he’d slip through his fingers and Lance would be left alone again.

 

His mind tried desperately to make itself known, a million questions bubbling just below the surface of Lance’s skin, but Lance kept them inside. Right now none of those questions mattered. It didn’t matter how Keith had received his letters, it didn’t matter why Keith had chosen to paint him, and it didn’t matter how Keith had known who he was. Because in this moment, with the stars perfectly aligned, all that mattered was Keith and that fact that Lance had found him in the one person he knew he couldn’t live without.

 

Lance wasn’t sure if his luck had turned good or if the universe was simply making up for the disastrous last couple of months. The brief thought that not everything was fixed fluttered through the back of his mind but he quickly pushed it aside. All of those things could come later.

 

“We should probably leave this alley…” Keith muttered into Lance’s jacket.

 

The world seemed to snap back into focus at Keith’s words and Lance looked around at the not-so-clean looking alley they were standing in.

 

“Yeah, you’re probably right. We might get rabies if we stay here any longer.”

 

Keith pulled away from Lance just enough to give him a confused look. “Rabies?” He asked.

 

“Yeah, ya know, from the rats.” Lance shifted his gaze from Keith’s face to the dumpsters a few yards down the alley, eyeing them with suspicion.

 

“I don’t think-ya know what? Sure. Whatever you say.”

 

Lance reluctantly let go of Keith and almost instantly felt a chill settle into him. A chill that Lance could only describe as a feeling of incompleteness. But it only lasted a moment as Keith took his hand and led him out of the alley. Lance tried to not focus on the fact that Keith’s hand was sending shockwaves up his arm that caused fireworks in his brain.

 

Once again Lance was blown away by the fact that Keith and Kegan were the same. He had found Keith and somehow Keith was Kegan. Keith knew everything. He knew what Lance had done and yet somehow, he still wanted to be with him. Even more, Keith had thought he was going to disappoint Lance. As if Lance had any room to judge. Lance had been stuck with a hard decision too and even though the situations weren’t the same he understood that sometimes people mess up. Sometimes people make mistakes because they’re worried or scared...and sometimes even selfish. Keith had said that losing Lance would have been unbearable. No one had ever said anything like that to Lance before and the fact that Keith was selfish enough to do practically anything to keep Lance around…

 

Well, call Lance crazy, but that was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for him.

 

Lance had expected the two to go back to the cafe but was surprised when Keith turned the opposite direction.

 

“Where are we going?” Lance asked, only half curious. Mostly he was just glad to be with Keith. The place didn’t matter.

 

“Well…” Keith started, glancing at Lance for a moment before looking back in front of him. “Nowhere really. I just thought...you probably have a lot of questions for me.”

 

Keith wasn’t wrong. Lance did have a lot of questions. He also knew that he might not like some of the answers. But Lance thought he owed it to himself to at least ask.

 

“A few.” Lance said with a small laugh, trying to calm the storm in his stomach. “But I’m not sure you’ll know the answers to them.”

 

Keith gave a small shrug. “You’ll never know unless you ask.”

 

“You’re right. Okay. Um, h-how did you get my letters? I mean, I just put them in my desk drawer but somehow...you got them.”

 

“I’m not sure.” Keith said and Lance felt his heart sink a little. “I mean, they would just kinda show up somewhere...in my mailbox, in my bag. One minute there was nothing and the next, there they were.”

 

“Sounds like how I got your drawings.” Lance commented. “One actually hit me in the face. Scared the shit out of me.”

 

Keith let out a small snort which made Lance’s insides melt. “I would’ve liked to see that.”

 

Lance shot him a small glare before saying, “I’m sure you would.” Sarcasm dripped from Lance’s words causing a small smile to form on Keith’s face. Lance couldn’t help squeezing Keith’s hand just a little bit tighter.

 

“Okay, so next question.”

 

Lance thought for a moment and then asked, “Did you know who I was before I wrote the letters?”

 

Keith shook his head. “No. I had no idea who you were.”

 

“Wait, then how did you know what I looked like? And Pidge? And Hunk?”

 

Keith gave Lance a confused look. “I got them right too?”

 

“Yeah,” Lance replied. “You were spot on. How...how did you do that?”

 

“I don’t know…” Keith said, seeming surprised himself. “That’s just how I pictured all of you. When you mentioned the wanted poster I realized that I had somehow drawn you without even knowing you...and then when I saw you on campus…” Keith trailed off, Lance noticing the slight note of pain to Keith’s voice. “Anyway, the point is that I don’t know.”

 

Lance decided to change the subject, asking a question that he knew Keith would have the answer to. “Why did you decide to paint me?” Lance’s voice was soft, accompanied by a redness that had grown on his face.

 

There was silence between the two. They continued to walk down the street, no destination in mind. They passed people walking in the opposite direction, completely ignorant of the emotions flashing through Lance, most of them nameless. Cars sped by, each time pushing a small breeze their way which rustled Keith’s hair, sending the scent of Keith Lance’s way. Lance had never loved the smell of pine and morning dew as much as he did in that moment.

 

“You already know the answer.” Keith said, looking at the ground.

 

“I do?” Lance asked, his mind searching for the answer.

 

“You do.” Keith replied quietly.

 

Keith stopped walking, causing Lance to stop as well. Lance faced Keith whose eyes were still glued to the pavement. “Let’s pretend for a second that I don’t know the answer, okay?” Lance said, releasing Keith’s hand and instead placing it under Keith’s chin, gently lifting his face up until their eyes met.

 

There was another moment of silence before Keith swallowed nervously and said, “How could I not paint you? You’re breathtaking.”

 

It wasn’t spontaneous, at least not to Lance. It was calculated, it was slow. It was like time had almost stopped, giving Lance the seconds he needed to process everything he was doing. And he came to one conclusion. In this universe, in this reality, everything Lance could ever want was going to be found in this one moment of bravery.

 

In one fluid motion, Lance leaned down and pressed his lips tenderly against Keith’s. In that small kiss, Lance could taste the sweetness of Keith, a taste that he’d been yearning for since the first time he saw him. It didn’t last long and left Lance wanting more but it was a kiss that Lance wouldn’t soon, if ever, forget.

 

The two were in their own world, not caring about the people shooting them curious looks as they passed. Lance’s face was only inches from Keith’s, Lance’s hand gently moving up Keith’s jawline until he was cupping the side of his face, his fingers tingling under the sensation of Keith’s impossibly soft skin.

 

“Do it again.” Keith’s voice was quiet but not gentle, his breath ghosting over Lance’s face, the smell of mint invading his senses. It was a command that Lance had no trouble following.

 

Lance leaned down once again and captured Keith’s mouth, more forcefully this time, his lips moving in synch with Keith’s. There was a hunger to this kiss, a kind of desperation that Lance hadn’t known existed before this moment. Lance felt a hand on the back of his neck, pulling him down, and another tangled in his hair. Lance snaked an arm around Keith’s waist in response and pulled him closer, pressing Keith’s body against his own. Lance could feel a fire flow through his veins, fueled by the raw passion he could feel coming from Keith. It felt good. It felt right. It felt perfect.

 

Everything was just perfect.

 

\-----

 

It was three in the morning when Keith quietly closed the door to his and Shiro’s apartment. He’d spent the rest of the day and most of the night with Lance. The two hadn’t managed to make it back to the cafe, but Keith didn’t think that either of them really minded. Instead they had walked to the park about a mile away from the cafe. They had laid in the field, staring up at the sky as the evening light faded and the stars became known. Lance had pointed out constellations to him, most of which Keith didn’t really see but he didn’t care. There was just something magical about laying under the stars with Lance. And if Keith did that every night for the rest of his life? Well, he’d be okay with that.

 

Keith could still feel his heart racing as he silently made his way to his room. Today had certainly been one that he would remember for a long time. He hadn’t really been thinking when he signed the bottom corner of the painting. He’d done it so many times by now that it was mostly automatic. He didn’t think that Lance would have figured everything out just from one signature but he had, and Keith was glad he did. If he hadn’t, Lance wouldn’t have kissed him today.

 

Keith could live for a thousand more years and never find someone that made him feel the way he did when Lance had first kissed him, slow and soft and just...perfect. It was the complete opposite from what Keith had expected, knowing Lance to be somewhat eccentric. It was a different side to Lance that Keith hadn’t really known existed until that moment. A side that was more vulnerable, a side that Keith was sure many people didn’t see.

 

Keith flopped backwards on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he let the euphoria wash over him. There was a tingling sensation just below his skin and a ringing in his ears. He could still taste Lance on his lips and smell his spicy scent that was fused into the jacket Keith had “forgotten” to give back to him.

 

Keith turned onto his side, pressing his nose into the sleeve of the jacket, taking in the scent and allowing it to calm his churning insides. Everything about today had been perfect, but there was still the small voice in the back of his mind that was warning him. It kept reminding him that Shiro was looking for Lance and sooner or later, Keith was going to have to tell Lance.

 

He wasn’t sure what would happen when he did. Maybe he’d get lucky and Shiro would stop looking. Keith knew that would never happen though. Shiro would discover who Lance was and when that time came, Keith didn’t know what he was going to do.

 

He supposed that the only thing he could do was warn Lance. He’d have to figure everything else out after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Hey all, I'm extremely sorry about the delay. I had midterms this past week, and as if that wasn't stressful enough, I also got really sick. So yeah, that was just a ball of fun to deal with. I wanted to write this chapter sooner but I knew that if I did it was going to be rushed and forced and sloppy and full of mistakes and I just can't do that to you guys. So, yes you had to wait but at least you were waiting for something good, right?  
> Once again we have all been blessed. I told you that I'd share any more art that was sent my way so that's what I'm going to do. Physics-and-art made a truly remarkable piece that you should definitely all go take a look at. It's absolutely stunning and I hope you guys love it as much as I do. She's amazing, it's amazing, and you should all check it out.  
> (Notice how I'm just going to give you the sloppy looking link. I'm not fighting with AO3 again, not after the week I've had.)  
> Also, I will continue to share any other drawings or whatnot that are sent my way.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated whether that be in the form of comments, kudos, or art of any kind. They all brighten my day and motivate me to write.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time,
> 
> ~Redjay
> 
>  
> 
> <https://physics-and-art.tumblr.com/post/166095282343/keith-sketch-for-the-incredible-fanfic-dear-keith>  
> 


	28. Slipping Away

Keith leaned against the wall to one of the science buildings, watching as students passed in front of him. His arms were crossed over his chest, fingers lightly tapping on his arm in his impatience. Keith was nervous for more than one reason.

 

He was nervous to see Lance. Yesterday had been so perfect in so many ways. What if today was different? What if it wasn’t? Keith had never really done anything like this before. Dated. The word didn’t seem to fit but he didn’t have a better one. Keith had seen movies and read books but this was different. This was real life and in real life things weren’t always as easy as chasing after someone through the rain. Real life was messy and complicated. What if Keith said the wrong thing and Lance left?

 

He was also nervous because he was planning on warning Lance about Shiro. He had a feeling that Lance wouldn’t react well to that news but as far as Keith knew, Shiro wasn’t even close to figuring out it was Lance. They had time to figure something out. They could figure something out, right? Keith hoped so.

 

“Penny for your thoughts.”

 

Keith jumped slightly, being pulled out of his worries and was met with laughter.

  


“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

 

Keith met Lance’s eyes that were shining with a certain joy. He had a soft smile on his face, relaxed and welcoming. Suddenly Keith forgot most of what he’d been worried about, instead getting lost in Lance’s presence.

 

“You didn’t.” Keith responded, his tone slightly defensive.

 

“No, of course not. Silly me.” Lance replied casually. Keith couldn’t understand how Lance was so good at this. Keith was sure he could barely form a coherent sentence and yet Lance was acting like this was as easy as breathing. “So, I take it I’m not getting that back any time soon?”

 

Keith followed Lance’s gaze to the jacket that Keith was currently wearing. It had been a tough decision that morning whether he was going to wear his normal red one or Lance’s. He looked better in red but Lance’s was...well Lance’s. In the end that had been the deciding factor.

 

“I...I mean, if you want it back-” Keith started but was cut off by Lance.

 

“No, no, no. You keep it. It looks better on you anyway.”

 

Keith didn’t think that was true but he wasn’t about to say no. “If you say so.”

 

“So what would you like to do today?” Lance asked lightly.

 

“Actually, I need to tell you something...but not here.” Keith’s words felt like they were weighed down with lead. He really didn’t want to be having this conversation.

 

Keith watched as Lance’s expression became concerned. “You’re not going to tell me that Keith’s not your actual name, are you?”

 

Keith couldn’t help rolling his eyes despite the situation. “No, nothing like that. I promise my name isn’t going to change again.”

 

“Well, my dorm isn't too far away. We can go there to talk.” Lance suggested, still sounding slightly worried.

 

“That’ll work.”

 

\-----

 

Lance unlocked the door to his room and flipped on the lights as he entered. He was overly aware of the fact that Keith was standing behind him...in his room...in his jacket...just the two of them…

 

Lance was probably going to lose his mind. But before he did that Keith had something important to tell him and that was unsettling to say in the least. It was only yesterday that Lance had found out who he really was. What more could Keith have to tell him?

 

“This is really...empty.” Keith said, entering the room.

 

“Yeah, that happens when it was built to be a double but only one person lives in it.” Lance replied, turning to face him. He could see a flash of pity in Keith’s eyes and chose to ignore it.

 

“Where did he go?”

 

It was a simple question but Lance had to take a moment before he could answer. “He, uh, he went to live with Pidge. I really haven’t seen them since he moved out.”

 

“I’m sorry…” Keith said quietly.

 

Lance forced a smile on his face. He wasn’t going to pretend that he didn’t regret what he did, but it wasn’t Keith’s fault. Besides, it was time to move on, right? “Don’t be. So, what’d you want to tell me?” Keith’s demeanor changed. He suddenly looked nervous, his eyes shifting to the floor as he ran a shaky hand through his hair.

 

“Okay, okay, um…” Keith moved closer to Lance, grabbing his shoulders gently and guiding him until he was seated on his bed, Keith sitting next to him. “So there’s really no easy way to say this but I think you deserve to know.” Keith took a deep breath, his eyes meeting Lance’s. “Lance-”

 

There was a forceful knock on the door causing both of them to jump.

 

Lance glanced at Keith who’s face had turned paler than it already was before getting up and crossing the room. He opened the door slowly, confused at who would knock on his door.

 

The last person he expected to see was Shiro.

 

“Lance McClain?” Shiro asked, his voice not friendly like Lance had heard in the cafe so many months ago.

 

Lance swallowed hard and nodded.

 

“I’m detective Shirogane with the police. You’re under arrest for the breaking and entering of a university building and the battery of Leonard Green.”

 

“What?!” Lance could feel his life flashing before his eyes.

 

“No!” Keith shouted, standing up from the bed.

 

“Keith? What’re you doing here?” Shiro asked, looking past Lance into the room.

 

Lance turned to look at Keith, more confused now than before. “You know him?”

 

Keith ignored him, instead speaking to Shiro. “Please, Shiro. You can’t do this.” Keith’s voice was desperate but his gaze didn’t waver from Shiro.

 

“Keith.” Shiro’s voice came out authoritative. “This is my job. I have to.”

 

“But-”

 

“Enough! He’s coming with me.” Shiro stepped aside so the two policemen behind him could pull Lance out of the room and cuff him. Lance felt numb. Numb and confused. Numb and confused and scared. How had everything turned to shit so suddenly? Why couldn’t life just give him a break?

 

“I’m sorry, Keith.” He heard Shiro say. “We’ll talk about this later. I have to go.”

 

Lance had no voice, the fear inside him paralyzing his vocal cords. As the policemen led him away, he spared one last look at Keith who was still standing in his room, looking just as scared as Lance was.

 

\-----

 

Keith was left alone in Lance’s room, his entire world crumbling around him. How could this have happened? How was Lance gone already? He’d just gotten Lance. He couldn’t lose him. Not yet.

 

He could see the scared look on Lance’s face as he was taken away and it caused an ache to build in Keith’s chest. It was the type of pain that was crippling, making it hard to stand and impossible to breathe. Keith sat back down on Lance’s bed, gripping the edge of the mattress for support. He stared blankly at the opposite wall, wanting nothing more that for Lance to walk back through the door.

 

Keith wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he accepted the fact that Lance wasn’t coming back. Shiro wasn’t going to change his mind and let Lance go. Too numb to do anything else, Keith wrapped Lance’s jacket tighter around him and curled up on Lance’s bed. He breathed in Lance’s scent and let it wash over him.

 

Keith felt betrayed. Shiro had taken Lance away from him. The same Shiro that had only ever given to Keith. Given Keith a home, given Keith a family, given Keith a brother, given Keith a sense of direction and purpose in his life. But now Shiro had taken something from him. Something that Keith needed and Keith was left with two holes in his heart.

 

In truth, Shiro had taken two things from Keith, one was Lance and the other was Keith’s absolute loyalty to his brother. Keith had only ever tried to return the hundreds of favors that Shiro had done for him. Shiro had saved Keith’s life. But now, Keith felt a new bitterness in him. He knew that it was Shiro’s job and he didn’t want Shiro to lose his job. But he also didn’t want Lance to go to prison. Keith felt himself being torn between the two and he wasn’t sure if he could take it.

 

Right now Keith didn’t know what was going to happen and that scared him. What he did know was that he wasn’t going to abandon Lance. Not now. Not ever.

 

\-----

 

It was late when Keith had returned to the apartment. He knew that he couldn’t avoid Shiro forever. Shiro, no doubt, had a million questions for him and although Keith wasn’t looking forward to answering them, he figured it was best to just get it over with.

 

He found Shiro waiting for him in the living room, looking tired. Keith didn’t give Shiro a chance to speak first though.

 

“Why? Why did you take him?”

 

“Keith…” Shiro started, sounding about as tired as he looked. “He committed a crime. Two of them actually. How could I not take him?”

 

Keith didn’t respond, instead deciding to vent his anger by slamming his fist into the wall next to him. Shiro seemed unphased by Keith’s outburst.

 

“Are you gonna tell me how you know him?”

 

“We’re...friends.” Keith said, his words coming out clipped and angry.

 

“Friends? You seem pretty upset to be just friends.”

 

“Don’t you dare interrogate me, Shiro.” Keith’s voice was low and dangerous.

 

“Keith.” Shiro said quietly, leaning forward from where he was seated on the couch. “You knew, didn’t you? You knew that he was the person I was looking for.”

 

Keith didn’t respond, instead just meeting Shiro’s gaze for the first time.

 

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

 

“I couldn’t...do that to him. I couldn’t…” Keith could feel his anger dissolving as it was replaced with a heavy feeling that weighed him down, causing him to answer Shiro honestly.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I’m in love with him, Shiro.”

 

There was a silence between the two, the tension in the room breaking at Keith’s confession.

 

“There’s nothing I can do.” Shiro said quietly after a moment and Keith felt his heart drop through the floor. “But if there was something I could do, I would start by talking to whoever sent in the anonymous tip about him.”

 

It only took a moment for Keith’s brain to catch up with what Shiro said. Without another word, Keith was out the door. He knew what he had to do.

 

\-----

 

It was a short ride back to the college dorms. Keith’s face had gone numb from the cool night air whipping past him as he sped through the campus but he didn’t notice. He was on a mission.

 

He found the building he was looking for easily and prayed that someone would come by to let him in. He only had to wait fifteen minutes before someone exited the building and Keith could gain entrance. He practically ran up to the third floor, looking for a certain door. A door that he’d only read about.

 

He wasn’t sure what kind of reaction he was going to get. He half expected to get a door slammed in his face. But he had to try. He would do anything if it meant getting Lance back.

 

The door was at the end of the hall and Keith felt a rush of relief as he spotted it. He didn’t even hesitate to knock, his desperation fueling his actions.

 

It was a moment before the door opened and Keith was greeted by a face that he’d drawn so many times. They looked confused which Keith didn’t blame them for. Keith would be confused too if a crazy looking stranger showed up at his door.

 

“I know you don’t know me.” Keith said between pants. “But I know you and I need your help. Lance needs your help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> I have a feeling that a lot of people are going to be mad at me for this chapter and I'm sorry, okay? But in all fairness, it had to happen. I know it and you know it. Just know it wasn't easy for me to write. I hated it. It made my heart hurt. And to make up for it, I have some presents for you. Two of them actually.  
> Blazing Dark Fyre has once again graced us with her presence and created some really amazing drawings for us. I'll put the links at the bottom for you guys. Go give them some love.  
> And of course I will continue to share anything else that is sent my way with you guys.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay
> 
>  
> 
> <https://canyoufeelthelangsttonight.tumblr.com/post/166155378548/heartbeat-another-amazing-piece-done-by-blazing>  
> 
> 
>  
> 
> <https://canyoufeelthelangsttonight.tumblr.com/post/166233841318/name-another-wonderfully-done-drawing-from-blazing>  
> 


	29. Louder Than Words

“Who are you?” Pidge asked, eyeing Keith with suspicion. Keith could see Hunk seated at his desk on the far side of the room, a confused expression on his face.

 

“Keith.” He replied quickly.

 

“Okay, Keith. I think we’re gonna need a little more than that.” Pidge said, adjusting their glasses. “Who _are_ you? How do you know Lance? And why are you wearing his jacket?”

 

“I’m Lance’s…” Keith paused, his throat suddenly closing up. He’d never said it out loud before and the word became stuck on his tongue. “Person.” He finished. He wanted to kick himself. What would Lance have thought if he had heard that? It would’ve crushed him.

 

“You’re his person?” Pidge asked with a small snort. “What does that even mean?”

 

Keith took a deep breath before trying again. He had to remember that the only important thing right now was Lance. “I’m his boyfriend...ish...thing.”

 

Close enough.

 

The expressions on both of their faces changed. Hunk’s became slightly more confused while Pidge’s became disbelieving.

 

“You expect us to believe that? There’s no way Lance could ask someone like you out. I doubt he’d even be able to talk to you without making a complete fool of himself.” Pidge leaned against the doorframe, crossing their arms.

 

Keith was simultaneously flattered for himself and offended for Lance. Lance had been the one to make the first move, not Keith...although Keith knew the situation was more complicated than that.

 

“Why would I have his jacket if it wasn’t true?” Keith asked, his voice becoming defensive.

 

Pidge looked Keith up and down, an almost indifferent look on their face. “Fair point. Come in.” They stood aside and Keith entered the room, some of his anxiety leaving. Getting into the room was one step closer to getting their help.

 

“So, I’m guessing Lance told you about us.” Hunk said as Pidge closed the door and went to sit on their bed. Keith remained standing, his nerves too much on edge to sit.

 

“Yeah, he told me what happened. I mean, everything that happened.” Keith said. “And that’s what I’m here about. He’s been arrested.”

 

The silence in the room was deafening. Keith could see the two friends exchange a glance that to Keith was unreadable. Hunk was the first to speak.

 

“How’d they catch him?”

 

“An anonymous tip.” Keith replied. “Which I’m guessing wasn’t from one of you.”

 

Hunk shook his head and Pidge said, “Of course not. We’re not that cruel.”

 

Keith felt relief flood through him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had been afraid it had been one of them. That would’ve made things infinitely more complicated. “So I’m thinking Lotor.”

 

“That guy again?” Pidge said, sounding irritated. “Why can’t he just leave us alone? He must get off on ruining people’s lives, I swear.”

 

“I need to find him. That’s where you guys come in.” Keith said, shifting his eyes between the two, hoping that their hatred of Lotor would outweigh their hatred of Lance.

 

“Why should we help Lance?” Pidge asked. “If Lance told you everything then you should know that we don’t owe him anything.”

 

“Pidge, that’s cold.” Hunk said quietly. “Lance is in jail.”

 

“He committed a crime!” Pidge said.

 

“Look,” Keith said, his gaze focusing on Pidge. “No one is more sorry for what happened than Lance. There’s not a day that goes by where he doesn’t regret what he did. Yes, what he did wasn’t right and yeah, he betrayed you guys in an unforgivable way. But I’m not asking you to forgive him...I’m asking you to help him.” Keith’s voice dropped low but he didn’t look away from Pidge. “You can’t tell me that you hate him so much that you’ll let Lotor win. Hasn’t he done enough to you guys already?”

 

There was another silence in the room. Keith could feel himself becoming desperate again as neither of them said anything.

 

“Please believe me when I say I can’t lose him…” Keith’s voice was barely a whisper and he was almost certain that they hadn’t heard him.

 

“Say that we help you find Lotor.” Pidge said quietly. “What are you gonna do? I mean, technically Lance did commit a crime.”

 

“I’m going to punch him.” Keith said without hesitation.

 

“I like the idea but how does that help Lance?”

 

“It doesn’t. That’s just to make me feel better.” It wasn’t a lie. Keith had wanted to punch him for a long time and he wasn’t about to miss the opportunity.

 

“I’m starting to like you more and more, Keith.” Pidge said with a smirk on their face.

 

“Thanks.” Keith replied. “But Shiro sent me to talk to Lotor which he wouldn’t do if he didn’t think it would help.”

 

“Who?” Hunk asked.

 

“Oh, uh, right. You don’t know him. Shiro’s my older brother...and also the guy who arrested Lance.” Keith explained, a sour taste filling his mouth.

 

“Damn, that must’ve been super awkward.” Pidge said.

 

“I try to not think about it.”

 

“Understandable.” Hunk said. “So what could just talking to Lotor do?”

 

“I dunno.” Keith admitted. “But that’s what Shiro said to do.”

 

“I suppose we won’t know until we ask him.” Pidge said with a tired sigh. “Knowing him, he’ll probably want something in exchange for telling us anything.”

 

“If it gets Lance out of jail I’ll trade anything.” Keith said defiantly. “I just need your help finding him. You don’t have to sacrifice anything for Lance.”

 

“You want us to let you face Lotor alone? Do you remember what he did? Nuh-uh. No way. We’re coming with you.” Pidge said, standing up from the bed to grab their laptop off their desk.

 

“Seriously?” Keith asked, not believing his own ears.

 

“Yeah, buddy.” Hunk said with a friendly smile and nod. “We’re a team.”

 

“Also, I want to see you punch Lotor. I wouldn’t miss that for the world.” Pidge added, chuckling menacingly to themselves.

 

Keith didn’t know how they were going to free Lance. He didn’t know what Lotor could possibly know that they didn’t. But Keith felt a hundred times better knowing that Hunk and Pidge were on his team. They could do it.

 

“Hang in there, Lance.” Keith muttered under his breath as Pidge started typing. “We’re coming.”

 

\-----

 

“If you don’t talk, we can’t help you. Just tell me who else was involved and I’ll make sure the judge knows you cooperated.” The man who had introduced himself as detective Rolo said. He’d been talking to Lance for the last hour and Lance had yet to say a single word.

 

Of course, that wasn’t his idea. If it were up to him, he would’ve confessed to everything the moment he entered the small interrogation room in hopes that they would show him mercy. He wouldn’t have ratted out Pidge or Hunk, of course, but he would take the fall. But it wasn’t really up to him. As he had been taken inside the station by Shiro, which Lance found terrifying by the way, he hadn’t expected Shiro to say anything to him. It was awkward enough that it was Shiro arresting him, there was no reason to make it more awkward.

 

Which is why Lance was taken off guard as Shiro whispered in his ear as they entered the police station. “Don’t say a word. Not your name. Not where you’re from. Nothing. Trust me.”

 

And then Lance had been handed off to another officer, not giving him a chance to ask why. Lance had been processed and then left alone in the interrogation room. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, handcuffed to the table. It could’ve been days for all he knew.

 

Lance kept his composure, not letting the fear he felt resonating in him to surface. All he had to do was distract himself from the reality he had found himself in. So Lance had taken a deep breath, closed his eyes, and thought about the only person he wanted to see right now.

 

He wished more than anything that Keith was with him. He would tell Lance that things were going to be okay or that they’d figure this whole thing out. But Keith wasn’t here and Lance was alone, forced to face his own mistakes once again. Why did it always seem to turn out this way?

 

He didn’t want to imagine what Keith was going through right now but he couldn’t help it. He was probably worried for Lance and confused because it was Shiro who had caught him. Lance wanted to kick himself for dragging Keith into this. It wasn’t intentional, sure, but that didn’t make it okay. Lance sure had a talent for putting the people he loved through shitstorms.

 

So now Lance sat in an incredibly uncomfortable chair across from Rolo who had eventually arrived to ask him some questions. And no matter how much Lance wanted to answer them, he held his tongue. Shiro said to trust him and that was really the only thing Lance could do.

 

“You still with us?” Rolo asked, pulling Lance out of his thoughts. Lance remained silent, shifting his eyes to the far wall as if he was ignoring Rolo.

 

Rolo was about to say something else when the door opened, and Shiro stepped in. Lance felt a wave of relief course through him. He was getting antsy from all of Rolo’s questions.

 

“I’ve got this, Rolo.” Shiro said, not even glancing at Lance.

 

“Be my guest.” Rolo said, standing up. “I’m gonna go grab some coffee. I have a feeling we’ll be here for awhile.” Rolo clapped Shiro on the back as he exited the room. Shiro shut the door behind him and then looked at Lance for the first time.

 

“You’re scared.” Shiro said as he sat down across from Lance. It wasn’t a question. “And you have every right to be. You’re in a lot of trouble.” Lance didn’t respond, instead dropping his eyes to the table in front of him. Shiro’s gaze was too intense for Lance right now. It was all he could do to keep himself together at this point.

 

“And so I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen just so there is no confusion here.” Shiro’s tone was almost threatening and Lance did his best to not flinch. “We’ve got you. You’re going away and that’s a fact.”

 

Lance heard the chair slide across the tile floor and glanced up to see Shiro standing. Shiro leaned forward until his palms were resting flat on the table’s surface, casting an ominous shadow over Lance. Lance couldn’t help leaning back, trying to get away from Shiro. He didn’t care what Allura said, Shiro was fucking terrifying. He found he suddenly preferred the other detective.

 

“So you’re going to give me the names of the others involved. We know there were others. And until you do, you’re going to sit here. All. By. Yourself.”

 

Lance would’ve confessed to killing the Pope if it meant leaving this room and Shiro’s intimidating presence behind. But Lance held his tongue for one reason. He felt paper brush by his hands which were still handcuffed to the table. It took only a second for Lance to realize what was going on. In one fluid motion, Lance had placed his fingers on the tiny piece of paper and slid it into his hands, not taking his eyes off Shiro.

 

“I’ll let you think about that for awhile.” Shiro said, his tone still dominant. Shiro pushed himself up off the table and left the room without another word.

 

Lance was alone again but this time he was completely okay with it. He waited a few minutes to make sure no one else was coming into the room before looking down at the scrap of paper clutched in his right hand.

 

With shaky hands Lance unfolded it, not sure what he was expecting it to say. He read the three scribbled words on the note five times before truly comprehending it.

 

_Patience. He’s coming._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> In case you cared, that chapter was a lot of fun to write. I didn't have to fight with it at all and only had to make like two revisions.Those are my favorite kind of chapters to write, let me tell you.  
> I have another present for you guys. The extraordinary Hoodie3525 did a fantastic drawing from the last chapter and I would love to share it with you guys. I'll put the link at the bottom for ya. Everyone should check it out and give it some love because it deserves it. Also, I will continue to share anything that is sent my way.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated and extremely motivating.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay
> 
>  
> 
> <https://hoodie3525.tumblr.com/post/166278811667/i-know-you-dont-know-me-keith-said-between>  
> 


	30. Seeking Help

“Aaaand I got it!” Pidge declared. “I know where he lives!”

 

Keith jumped up from where he had been sitting on the floor by Pidge’s bed and crossed the room to look at Pidge’s laptop screen. “Where?”

 

“It looks like he lives in the apartments a little outside of campus.” Pidge replied.

 

“Great. We should go right now.” Keith said, feeling adrenaline start to pump through his veins.

 

“Hold up.” Hunk said, standing up from his desk. “Let’s not go rushing into this without a plan.”

 

“We have a plan.” Keith said impatiently. “We go talk to Lotor and give him anything he wants to help us get Lance out of jail.”

 

“That’s not a plan, Keith.” Pidge said. “That’s suicide.”

 

“I agree. Dealing with Lotor isn’t going to be easy. He’s a real snake when it comes to this stuff.” Hunk added, nodding in agreement with Pidge.

 

“Okay, so what do you propose we do?” Keith asked, slightly irritated. “We can’t _not_ talk to Lotor.”

 

“We’re not saying that.” Pidge said. “But I don’t think any of us are going to be a real match for Lotor. We’re not...snakey enough.”

 

“Yeah, we need someone who can outsmart Lotor.” Hunk said, thoughtfully. “Someone who is just as sly as he is…” Hunk shifted his gaze to Pidge.

 

“Are you thinking of who I’m thinking of?” Pidge asked.

 

“I think I am. Ask him.”

 

“On it.” Pidge said, pulling out their phone.

 

“Who? Who are you asking?” Keith shifted his gaze between the two.

 

“My brother Matt.” Pidge said, typing something into their phone. “He’s a snake if I’ve ever seen one.”

 

“Wait, the Matt who works at the cafe Matt?” Keith asked. “He’s your brother?”

 

“Yeah, did Lance not mention that?”

 

Keith thought back to Lance’s letters, vaguely recalling the mention of Matt’s name in one. He supposed he might have been too preoccupied with what was happening in the letter to really notice. Still though, he felt a little ridiculous for not putting two and two together sooner. Looking at Pidge now Keith could easily tell they were related. The resemblance was almost uncanny.

 

“He might’ve…” Keith replied, a little embarrassed. “But do you really think Matt’s going to want to get involved in this?”

 

“Yes I do.” Pidge said, holding up their phone so Hunk and Keith could see the screen. “He’s already said yes.”

 

\-----

 

“You must be truly desperate to come to me for help.” Matt said dramatically as he opened the door to his apartment about an hour later.

 

“If you keep making movie references, we’ll leave.” Pidge muttered angrily as they pushed past Matt and entered the apartment. Matt just laughed and followed Pidge back into his apartment. Hunk and Keith followed him, closing the door behind them.

 

Keith had never been to Matt’s apartment before, never really needing a reason to and mostly doing all that he could to not spend more time with Matt than he already did. He was surprised to find, however, that the place was orderly, almost pristine. Keith stood just a few feet from the door, scanning the small living room with disbelieving eyes.

 

“There’s no way you live here…” He said.

 

Matt turned to him with an eyebrow raised. “What makes you say that?”

 

“This place is so clean and you’re so…” Keith paused. He really didn’t want to offend the person that was going to help them, even if it was Matt. “Well, you.” He finished lamely.

 

“I’m not an animal, Keith.” Matt said as if that explained everything. “Anyway, Pidge tells me you guys are in a bit of a pickle.” Matt sat down on the couch while Hunk ventured to the kitchen and Pidge made themselves comfortable on one of the barstools next to the counter that looked into the kitchen. Keith once again chose to remain standing.

 

“I’m sure you’ve heard what happened.” Keith said, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

Matt nodded. “Yeah, Shiro told me.”

 

“You talked to Shiro?”

 

“No, not really.” Matt admitted almost sheepishly. “He was actually talking to Allura over the phone and I was just listening in.”

 

“Classic Matt.” Pidge said.

 

“So what do you need my help for? It’s not like I can convince Shiro to just let him go.”

 

“We won’t need you to.” Pidge said, snacking on the bowl of chips that Hunk had placed on the counter. “Have you ever heard of a guy named Lotor?”

 

“Wasn’t he the guy who stole Rover a few months ago?” Matt asked.

 

“That’s him.” Pidge said darkly.

 

“I’ve never met him or anything. Why?”

 

“We kinda need you to negotiate with him.” Keith said. “He knows something about getting Lance out but we know he won’t tell us without asking for something in return.”

 

“So why do you need me to do it?”

 

“Well for starters, he doesn’t know you. Gives him less ammunition.” Hunk said, leaning on the counter and popping a chip into his mouth.

 

“Yeah, and he’s pretty sneaky. If we talked to him we’d probably just fall into another one of his traps.” Pidge chimed in. “And I really don’t want a repeat of what happened last time.”

 

“Hold up.” Matt said, leaning forward. “Was that a compliment I heard? Pidge, do you think I’m sneaky?”

 

“Most people wouldn’t take that as a compliment.” Pidge deadpanned.

 

A sly smile appeared on Matt’s face. “Well I’m not most people.”

 

“So will you help us?” Keith asked hopefully.

 

“What’s in it for me?” Matt asked.

 

“I’ll convince Shiro to let you come over for dinner again.” Keith said without missing a beat. He figured Matt would want something for his help and had prepared accordingly. It was no secret to Keith that Matt had been complaining about missing out on Shiro’s cooking. He couldn’t count the amount of times that Allura had to tell him to shut up and get back to work...and that was only when Keith was in the cafe.

 

“Deal.” Matt said without even thinking it over.

 

“Wow.” Pidge said, actually sounding surprised. “That was easy.”

 

“Pidge. It’s free meals. I would be insane not to take the deal.” Matt explained.

 

“Are you sure this is the guy we want negotiating Lance’s freedom?” Hunk asked.

 

“Too late.” Matt said as he stood. “You’re stuck with me. Let’s go pay this dillweed a visit.”

 

“It’s like one in the morning.” Pidge pointed out. “Shouldn’t we wait until morning?”

 

“Lesson number one, my dear pigeon.” Matt said with a smirk. “Always catch your opponent off-guard. Starting any negotiation off with the upper hand almost always guarantees you’ll leave with the sweeter end of the deal.”

 

“Okay, I take it back. We definitely want him to be the one negotiating.” Hunk said.

 

“And I’m just getting started.” Matt said, an almost menacing smile creeping onto his face.

 

\-----

 

Keith sat in the passenger’s seat in Matt’s small car. The group was quiet which gave Keith the perfect opportunity to stress about what was about to happen. He had the utmost faith in Matt’s ability to negotiate but this was Lotor they were talking about. Lotor. The same guy who had torn Lance, Pidge, and Hunk apart without barely lifting a finger. How was Matt supposed to compete with that?

 

Keith stared out the window, watching as the dark city streets passed by, his face illuminated by the occasional street light. He tried to find comfort in the quiet of the night but as his thoughts continuously drifted back to Lance, Keith could feel himself reeling towards some sort of panic attack.  

 

“You’re really worried about him, huh?” Matt said quietly from the driver’s seat.

 

Keith glanced at Matt’s face before dropping his eyes to his hands that were placed in his lap, fingers fidgeting with the hem of Lance’s jacket sleeve. “Yeah…got any spur of the moment advice?” Keith had learned over the last two weeks that Matt’s advice was actually helpful. He seemed to have an insight to life that Keith couldn’t understand.

 

Matt was silent for a moment before saying, “For a situation like this? Sorry, I can’t say that I do. But I will say that Lance is a really lucky guy to have someone like you fighting for him.”

 

“Really? You think so?” Keith asked, surprised at the sudden compliment.

 

Matt let out a low chuckle. “Yeah, I do. When Lance sees what you’ve done to get him out? Oh man. I think he might swoon.”

 

Keith didn’t respond at first, a small smile forming on his face for the first time since Lance had been arrested. “I’ll make sure to catch him.”

 

“Of course you will.” Matt said confidently. “And I’ll make sure to take a picture of it to hold over you for the rest of your life.”

 

“It would be weird if you didn’t.” Keith replied.

 

“I think this is it on the left.” Pidge said from the back seat. Matt pulled over immediately and shut off the car. All of the nerves Keith’s conversation with Matt had dispelled seemed to come back in full force as he leaned over Matt and looked at the apartment building. It looked like an ordinary apartment building but Keith knew what kind monster was waiting inside for them.

 

“Okay, so before we go in,” Matt said, gently nudging Keith back over to his side of the car. “A few ground rules: One.” Matt held up a finger. “Let me do all the talking. Even if I say something weird, don’t butt in. Trust me. Two.” He held up another finger. “If Lotor does ask you a question answer it very very _very_ carefully. Don’t mention anything that could give him the upper hand. Especially don’t mention that Lance and Keith are an item. That would be fatal for us. He doesn’t know about you guys right?”

 

Keith shrugged. “He shouldn’t. I don’t see how he could’ve found out.”  

 

“Perfect. Let’s keep it that way. And three.” Matt held up a third finger. “If at any point I say ‘That’s where you’re wrong, sir.’ You turn and you run. No questions asked.”

 

“Why would we need to run?” Hunk asked nervously.

 

“Oh, you won’t. We’re just talking to the guy. I just think having a code phrase like that makes this all seem more dangerous. Gives it a real intense feeling, don’tcha think?” Matt replied casually.

 

“You’re a dumbass.” Pidge said, not even trying to hide the disdain in their voice.

 

“Let’s go.” Matt said, ignoring Pidge.

 

Keith opened the car door and stepped out into the cold autumn night. Despite the temperature, his whole body felt like it was one fire. His heart was pounding in his chest as he stared up at the apartment building once again. He found himself getting angry. He was about to come face to face with the guy that had made Lance’s life hell for the past few months, something that Keith was about to make him pay for.

 

“Hey, uh, Keith.” Matt said. “You might want to leave that in the car. Just in case he recognizes it.” Matt gestured to Lance’s jacket.

 

“Oh, yeah.” Keith said, looking down at the jacket. “You’re probably right.” He shrugged out of the jacket almost unwillingly and put it back in the car. He felt more exposed without it on but he knew that if Lotor did recognize it, it wouldn’t take him long to realize what it meant.

 

The small group crossed the street and entered the apartment building, Matt in the lead. “What room?” Matt asked.

 

“Uh…” Pidge said, pulling up the information on their phone. “Five eleven.”

 

They entered the elevator in silence and arrived on the fifth floor a minute later. It didn’t take them long to locate the door they were looking for. Keith felt slightly nauseous as he raised his fist to knock on the door. But he had to keep reminding himself that this was for Lance. He could do this for Lance. He would do anything for Lance.

 

They stood in silence as they waited for the door to open. After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally opened and Keith was greeted by a tall figure with snow-white hair.

 

“Ah, you’re finally here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> So I technically had this chapter finished like three hours ago and as I was editing it, I realized that I hated it so I deleted it and rewrote the whole thing. And I have to say I'm glad I did. I like this version of it much better.  
> On a different note, I know that season four just came out and there are a lot of conflicting opinions about it. I'm not going to waste your time telling you what mine are because this fic ins't the place for that. There is one thing that I do want to address about it, though, because it actually has to do with this fic. We finally get some good and solid character insight and development for Matt which is great. However, clearly the canon Matt and the Matt that I've written are not the same person. There are some aspects that are the similar but for the most part their personalities are different. Obviously it would be insane for me to change the Matt in my story now so I'm not going to do that. So if that bothers you, I do apologize and I hope you can look past that.  
> Anyway, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	31. Crushing Blow

Something inside Keith snapped and he didn’t know what finally pushed him over the edge. Maybe it was what Lotor had said in his overconfident, snobbish voice. Maybe it was the anxiety that had been rising in him over the last couple of hours. Maybe it was finally seeing Lotor’s face for the first time. Whatever the case, Keith found his vision blurring with red, a rage building in him that he hadn’t felt in years.

 

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and set his jaw. This condescending bastard was going to get what was coming to him and Keith was going to give it to him. In one fluid motion, Keith pulled his arm back and swung it at Lotor, his fist exploding with pain as it connected with Lotor’s jaw.

 

It had been a long time since Keith had punched anybody and he was glad to see that he was just as good at it as he was in his childhood. He felt a sense of satisfaction overwhelm him as he watched Lotor stumble back a few steps from the force of Keith’s punch, hands covering the area where Keith’s fist had made contact.

 

“Lance says hi.” Keith said in a dark voice, his words coming out sharp and dangerous.

 

“Please tell me you got that on camera.” Hunk said from behind Keith.

 

“Oh yeah.” Pidge replied excitedly. “I recorded the whole thing. This baby is going viral for sure.”

 

Matt let out a tired sigh. “I suppose that’s on me. I forgot to mention the fourth rule where you don’t _hit_ the person you’re _negotiating with._ ”

 

“It’s quite alright.” Lotor said, massaging the area around where Keith had hit him. “I would’ve been surprised if he hadn’t punched me. And now that he’s got it out of his system, we can start the civilized part of this meeting.”

 

Keith felt his temper rising again. Who did this guy think he was? He didn’t even know Keith...right?

 

“You better come in.” Lotor said, sounding a little bored. “I have a feeling this is going to take a while.”

 

Lotor seemed far too relaxed for the situation in Keith’s opinion. Something was off. Keith glanced at Matt, looking for some sort of reassurance that everything was under control. Matt’s expression was relaxed, a warm smile on his face like he was being invited into an old friend’s apartment, not like he was about to face off in some grandiose battle of the wits. Keith could find slight comfort in that. He would try not to panic as long as Matt wasn’t panicking. He could do that. Probably.

 

The small group entered the apartment behind Lotor and Keith felt his shoulders tense up. He supposed this is what walking into enemy territory felt like and it took everything in him to not turn and run out of the apartment. But he had to remember that this was for Lance. This was the only way to free Lance so Keith would swallow his nerves and stand his ground.  

 

Lotor sat in one of the chairs in his living room, legs crossed and hands intertwined in his lap. A sly smirk was on his face as his eyes shifted from person to person like he was sizing up his prey. Keith resisted the urge to shudder every time his gaze landed on him. Matt made himself at home on Lotor’s couch that was positioned across from the chair Lotor was sitting in, leaning back and resting an arm over the top of it. There was a carefree smile on his face as he looked at Lotor. He was no doubt doing what Matt does best, being way too observant for his own good. In this case, Keith was more than happy to let Matt be as observant as he wanted. Pidge and Hunk stood behind the couch, both their expressions set in a stern look. They looked like people ready to go into battle, a clear contradiction to Matt.

 

After a brief contemplation on Keith’s part, he decided to join Matt on the couch. He wasn’t thrilled at the thought of being this close to Lotor but he also knew that Matt might need some backup. Sure, Keith was entirely useless in a situation like this, but maybe his presence was enough to reassure Matt.

 

“So to what do I owe this tremendous pleasure?” Lotor asked, his voice not at all matching the words he was saying. Keith could hear a vileness in his tone that set his nerves on edge.

 

“I think you know why we’re here.” Matt said casually.

 

Lotor didn’t look surprised that it was Matt who was doing the talking. “And who exactly are you?”

 

“I don’t really see how my name’s important.” Matt replied lightly.

 

Keith saw the faintest twitch of Lotor’s lips at Matt’s response which he really didn’t know how to interpret. “You’re right. It’s really not important. In fact, the only important person here is him.” Lotor’s eyes shifted to Keith. “I have to admit, I am slightly disappointed at how long it took you to get here, Keith.”

 

Keith felt himself internally flinch at the sound of his own name leaving Lotor’s mouth. A million questions rushed through Keith’s mind in that instant but he kept his mouth shut, instead glancing at Matt. His expression was unchanged, the same lazy smile on his face. Matt wasn’t panicking so Keith wouldn’t panic...at least not on the outside.

 

“You know Keith?” Matt asked.

 

“Come now,” Lotor said, disappointment evident in his voice. “You didn’t think I’d take notice of the person who's been undoing all of my hard work? Yes, I’ve become very familiar with Keith.”  

 

Lotor’s words made Keith’s skin crawl.

 

“How familiar?” Matt asked as if he was asking about the weather.

 

Another condescending smirk danced on Lotor’s lips, his gaze once again locking on Keith. “It’s a sad story, isn’t it Keith? A baby abandoned on the front step of an orphanage. How cliché. But it gets worse, doesn’t it? At the age of two the orphanage gets too crowded so they ship out all of the children who they can’t take care of, yourself included. You’re given to the first foster family that will take you but of course they don’t love you. You’re entirely alone.”

 

Keith clenched his jaw, trying his best to not let Lotor’s words get to him. He tries to remind himself that this is what Lotor does. He manipulates people for his own gain and he can’t let Lotor get to him. But Lotor isn’t finished.

 

“But you get older and find that it isn’t just that family that doesn’t love you, it’s every family you get shoved into. And so you get angry. You lash out, teaching people to fear you because if no one will love you, you won’t love anyone. Why even try if it’s just going to bring more pain?”

 

Keith knows Lotor isn’t wrong and that hurts more than the words Lotor is actually saying. He can feel a rising tide of emotion swell within him and does his best to shove it down. He was here for Lance, not himself. He just had to remember that. This was all for Lance.

 

“Until Shiro came along.”

 

Keith was pulled out of his thoughts at Shiro’s name.

 

“And he gave you what you had been so desperately looking for, a family. He showed you what it meant to be loved and for the first time in your life, you felt like you belonged somewhere. How could you ever repay the person who gave you a life worth living?” A menacing smile suddenly appeared on Lotor’s face. “And eventually Shiro joined the police force and your parents were so proud and you were so thrilled to have a brother that was fighting for justice. A brother that would do anything for the sake of keeping the streets free of crime. He was your hero and you would do anything for him.”

 

“How do you know all this?” Keith heard himself ask quietly, breaking Matt’s first rule.

 

“Pidge isn’t the only one who can hack into the school’s server.” Lotor replied. “It wasn’t hard to access your file. After I had that, the pieces sort of just fell into place. Once my research on you was done, a single question came to mind. What would happen if the one person who you put so much faith into, the only person to ever truly believe in you, the one person you relied on to get you through such a harsh and pitiful life betrayed you? How would the great Keith respond when Shiro’s drive to bring people to justice outweighed his supposed love for his brother? Imagine my delight when I learned that one detective Shirogane was working on the one case that would properly answer my question. Tell me Keith, how did that feel? Did it hurt? Did you feel broken? Was it crushing to not only lose Lance, but Shiro as well? How does it feel to be left all alone again, no one to love you?”

 

It was like white hot iron stake had just been shoved through his chest while reality came crashing down on him. A pain erupted in Keith’s chest, a pain that no amount of anger could cover up. Keith stared blankly at the floor, trying his best to rein his emotions in but he couldn’t shake the feeling that Lotor had won. Just like he had with Lance. He had been there from the moment that Lance had met Keith, watching them from the shadows and plotting to bring them down. He’d let their relationship grow until it would deliver a devastating blow that would send Keith spiraling into an inescapable darkness. And it had worked. Keith was alone again, something he had feared since he’d joined Shiro’s family.

 

Keith wasn’t a crier. He’d learned at an early age that no amount of crying was going to make anything better. So instead Keith had learned to keep his tears inside and that’s what Keith had done his entire life. Only in times where he became too overwhelmed with emotion would he let one slip out like he had when Lance had accepted him for who he was. This was another one of those times except it wasn’t just one tear. No, this time it was a steady stream of water that built up in his eyes and ran down his face, eventually dripping onto Lotor’s floor.

 

Of course, this didn’t go unnoticed by Lotor.

 

Keith heard Lotor let out the most menacing laugh that he had ever heard. “I didn’t realize breaking you would be this easy but I have to admit it was fun.”

 

Every word out of Lotor’s mouth was like he was being stabbed over and over again. Keith wanted nothing more than to get out of this apartment and as far away from Lotor as he could but his limbs were like lead. They felt heavy and moving them would require more effort than Keith was able to give at the moment. Coming here had been a mistake. He had walked right into Lotor’s endgame just like Lotor had wanted and now he was paying the price for it.

 

Keith wished he had never received Lance’s letters. He wished that he’d never met Shiro. He wished that he had grown up in the foster system, forever moving from house to house, never knowing what it meant to love or be loved.

 

Because not learning to love hurt a million times less than loving and then losing it all in a single instant.

 

“Oh and one more thing, Keith.” Lotor said, his voice low and venomous.

 

Keith reluctantly looked up at Lotor who was staring at him with a dark, soul-crushing look.

 

“Checkmate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! (The quality of the writing, not what I wrote. That shit is heartbreaking.)  
> Have I ever mentioned to you guys that I have this knack for writing angst? 'Cuz I do. I probably should've warned everyone about that sooner. Sorry, my bad.  
> Any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	32. Checkmate

“Are you done?” Matt asked, letting out a laugh that shattered the tension in the room. Keith couldn’t help but turn his attention to Matt who was still smiling like Lotor hadn’t just ripped Keith apart.

 

“Excuse me?” Lotor asked, sounding slightly offended.

 

“Are you done with your whole ‘no one will ever outsmart me’ villain thing ya got going on? If you’re not, that’s fine. I’ll wait. But when you want to actually play, let me know so I can start taking you seriously.” Matt’s voice remained light and friendly despite the words that were coming out of his mouth.

 

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” Lotor said, regaining his composure faster than Keith thought he would.

 

“So you made the emo kid with the shitty past cry. Congratulations I guess? Am I supposed to be impressed?” Matt said with a slight shrug.

 

Now it was Keith’s turn to be offended. “I’m not-”

 

Matt held up a hand and gave him a pointed look. “You literally wear black everyday and your hair goes down past your collar. Just accept it. It’s who you are.”

 

Keith was too dumbfounded to respond, instead wiping the back of his hand across his face in an attempt to regain some of his composure. What was happening right now?

 

“So what are you proposing?” Lotor asked Matt, a knowing smile creeping onto his face.

 

Matt leaned forward and said, “I’m proposing that you get serious before I decide that I’m wasting my time.”

 

There was a silence in the room. Keith dared not breathe and when he glanced back at Hunk and Pidge he noticed they weren’t breathing either. After what seemed like hours of silence, Lotor let out a small chuckle before saying, “Alright. You’ve got my attention. You want to play? Let’s play.”

 

“Great!” Matt said, clapping his hands together and leaning back again. “What we want is pretty simple. It’s really not too much to ask for. All we want to know is how to get Lance out of jail. I mean, you should know, right? Since you were kinda the one who put him there.”

 

“Why would I know that? Just because I put him there doesn’t mean I know anything about getting him out.” Lotor’s response was calm and collected, and if it had been anyone else speaking, Keith would’ve believed them. But this was Lotor and Keith knew that he had to take everything he said with a grain of salt.

 

“We have reason to believe that you know something that’ll help get him out.” Matt replied. “But I’m not naive enough to think you’ll just give it to us. That’s really not your style.”

 

“You’d be correct.” Lotor said, not taking his gaze off of Matt. “So what are you prepared to offer?”

 

There was another silence in the room as Keith waited for Matt to say something. They hadn’t discussed what they had planned to offer but Keith trusted Matt...for the most part. Right now it was his only option.

 

Matt’s composure didn’t change. The air around him was still casual, the look on his face still lazy, bordering on boredom. It drove Keith insane not knowing what he was thinking. He’d known Matt was a wild card going in but he found himself wondering if they had made the right choice in bringing him. What if he offered something that Keith couldn’t give?

 

No, stop that.

 

Keith had already decided hours ago that he’d give anything to free Lance. Whatever Matt said was going to have to be fine with Keith.

 

“Keith.” Matt finally said. “We’re prepared to offer Keith.”

 

“ _What?_ ” Keith practically shouted, turning to Matt. What kind of garbage offer was that? He wasn’t some kind of object to be traded off. He searched Matt’s expression for an answer but once again found him to be unreadable. Both Matt and Lotor ignored Keith.

 

“So what do ya say? We’ll give you Keith for the information. I mean, you must be getting bored of Lance, right? That _is_ why you do all this. For fun. You enjoy screwing with people's lives, manipulating them for your own entertainment. And only when you’ve completely destroyed the person will you move onto the next without a second thought. In all honesty, I don’t think there’s much else you could do to Lance to make his life any worse. But Keith? Well, he’s something new.”

 

“Is that the best you can do?” Lotor asked, clearly unimpressed. “I’ve already got Keith. It would take me less than a week to finish him just like I finished Lance. Unless you’ve got a better offer, I believe we’re done here.”

 

“I do have one more offer.” Matt said slowly. “An offer you can’t refuse but once I tell you, Keith’s off the table. So this is your last chance, either you take Keith or I tell you the new offer.”

 

Lotor narrowed his eyes slightly, growing suspicious of Matt. Keith was sure Lotor was finally starting to realize who he was dealing with. “What’s the other offer?”

 

For the first time since they had entered the apartment, the lazy smile fell from Matt’s face only to be replaced with a victorious smirk. “The other offer is that we don’t turn you into the police.”

 

There was a beat of silence as the room processed what Matt said.

 

Lotor’s expression didn’t even flinch at Matt’s words. “Turn me in for what? I haven’t done anything.”

 

“Are you sure about that?” Matt asked. “You stole Rover.”

 

“You must be mistaken.” Lotor replied smoothly. “I think you’ll find that it was Lance who, in fact, stole Rover.”

 

“You’re not wrong.” Matt said with a shrug. “But it was you who used it to win that competition and I believe that makes you a...Pidge, what’s the word I’m looking for?”

 

“Accomplice.” Pidge said immediately in what Keith could only describe as a ‘gotcha’ voice.

 

“That’s it! Thank you, Pidge. It makes you an accomplice which is just as bad as committing the crime itself I think. Isn’t that right, Hunk?”

 

“Sounds right to me.” Hunk said with a nod.

 

“And Pidge, how much would you say Rover is worth?” Matt asked.

 

Pidge gave a shrug. “Probably around a couple thousand dollars, give or take. He’s one of a kind.”

 

“A couple thousand dollars, huh? I think that makes it a felony. And do you know how many years in prison that is, Keith?”

 

“I really don’t. How many?” Keith replied, sending his own triumphant smirk Lotor’s way.

 

“Ten years, Keith. Can you believe that? Ten whole years.” Matt said, shaking his head in mock disbelief.

 

“Turn me in and you put Lance in trouble.” Lotor said, the sly smile not leaving his face.

 

“Lance is already in trouble. We’d be barely making a dent in his already shitty day. But you? You’ve still got your freedom. Are you really willing to give that up?”

 

“It’ll be your word against mine and I’ve got Alfor and Altea behind me.” Lotor retorted coolly, not showing any signs that what Matt was saying was getting to him.

 

“Yeah, I’m not really worried about that. I guess it helps to be best friends with the police detective in charge of Lance’s case. And you did say it yourself, Shiro has a pretty strong drive for justice. I don’t think he’d take too kindly to trying to be paid off by some large company. Oh and I almost forgot!” Matt said, hitting himself lightly on the forehead. “We’ve also got his fucking _brother_ sitting right here. I really don’t think we’ll have any trouble convincing him that you helped steal Rover. So here’s the offer: You tell us how to get Lance out of jail _and_ stop playing your little games with all of us, including Keith and Lance, and we won’t tell Shiro about the Rover incident.”

 

Lotor was silent, his gaze shifting between the four of them.

 

“And I believe _that’s_ what you call a checkmate.” Matt said and then leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he shot Lotor with the friendliest of smiles. He lowered his voice to a whisper before saying, “You should have taken the other offer.”

 

Lotor’s face didn’t change as Matt’s words sunk in. Keith would say that he almost looked impressed. After a few moments, Lotor let out a tired sigh. “I can admit when I’ve been defeated. I accept your offer.”

 

Keith let out a long breath, falling back against the couch and running his hands through his hair. They had done it. They had actually beaten Lotor at his own game. Part of Keith didn’t think it was possible, that he must be dreaming. But when he felt Hunk patting him on the shoulder and heard Pidge let out a little victory ‘whoop’ Keith knew that it wasn’t a dream. They were going to get Lance out of jail. If they could beat Lotor, they could do anything.

 

“The only thing linking Lance to the crime right now is my statement.” Lotor explained. “From what I’ve been told, the security tapes were too low quality to positively ID him and that old janitor’s memory isn’t exactly what you would call young. He couldn’t be sure if it was Lance who attacked him or not.”

 

“So if you were, let’s say, to call the station and rescind your statement they would legally have to let him go?” Matt asked.

 

“Presumably since they would have nothing to hold him on.” Lotor replied. “That doesn’t mean, however, that they won’t stop looking for ways to tie him to the crime.”

 

“Let us worry about that.” Matt said smoothly. “Right now I think you’ve got a call to make.”

 

\-----

 

Lotor hung up the phone and said, “There. Everything should be all sorted. Lance should be released within the hour.”

 

Keith felt a weight lift from his chest. Lance was going to be okay. It was true that it had been only about twelve hours since Lance had been arrested but it had been the longest twelve hours of Keith’s life.

 

Matt stood up from the couch and Keith followed suit. “Then I believe our business here is concluded. Let’s go get Lance.”

 

The small group had just started to filter out of Lotor’s apartment when Lotor called to them. “You surely aren’t going to leave without telling me who you are. I think I deserve to know the name of the one who managed to defeat me.”

 

Matt stopped in the doorway, turning back to face Lotor. “And give you exactly what you need to exact your revenge? Yeah, I don’t think so. I’m not that stupid.”

 

“I must know.” Lotor replied.

 

“Get used to disappointment.”

 

And then Matt closed the door, leaving Lotor alone in his apartment.

 

“I thought I said no more movie quotes.” Pidge said, standing up on their toes and smacking Matt lightly on the side of his head.

 

“Worth it.” Matt said with a smile before leading the group back to the elevators.

 

“That was incredible!” Hunk said as they waited for the doors to open. “How did you do that?”

 

Matt let out a small laugh. “It really wasn’t that hard. I already knew what he’d done to Rover thanks to Pidge ranting about it for the last few months and you pick up a few things listening to Shiro talk about police work all day.”

 

“But why did you not just lead with that?” Keith asked. “Why did you offer me first?” The doors to the elevator opened and the group stepped in, the doors shutting behind them.

 

“Oh, that was so I could say that cool line at the end. If it makes you feel better, I knew he would never accept that offer.” Matt replied, sounding proud of himself.

 

“How could you possibly know that?” Pidge asked. “What if he had?”

 

“You heard him yourself. He already had Keith in a sense. We were in that room for what? Five minutes before Keith was in tears, which was just adorable by the way, Keith. You should cry more often.”

 

“Yeah, in your dreams.” Keith muttered to himself.

 

“If he had accepted that deal, he would’ve gotten nothing.” Matt continued. “So Keith was never really on the table. Anyway, I hope you all learned something here today.”

 

“Yeah, don’t get on your bad side.” Hunk said.

 

“Exactly.” Matt said, shooting each of them with a friendly smile.

 

\-----

 

Lance awoke to the sound of the door to the interrogation room slamming shut. He hadn’t even realized he dozed off. His back felt stiff from sitting in the same chair and his wrists felt raw from the handcuffs digging into them. He blinked a few times, trying to readjust to the bright fluorescent light.

 

“It’s your lucky day.” He heard Shiro say and it took him a few moments to focus in on him as he was unlocking the cuffs from Lance’s wrists.

 

“What’s going on?” Lance asked, confused.

 

“We’re letting you go.” Shiro explained. “We don’t have anything to hold you on.”

 

Lance couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This couldn’t be true. He was getting out? “A-Are you serious?”

 

“I told you Keith was on his way.” Shiro said.

 

“This was Keith’s doing?” Lance asked, feeling a swell of emotions rise in his chest.

 

“Well, I heard he had some help but yeah, you’ve got Keith to thank for this.”

 

“I...I can’t believe this.” Lance muttered to himself. He felt like he was being rescued by his knight in shining armor. No, he _was_ being rescued by his knight in shining armor...if the ‘knight’ was a college art student and the ‘shining armor’ was actually Lance’s jacket.

 

“C’mon.” Shiro said. “Keith’s waiting.”

 

Lance had never left a room so fast in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Some of you may have noticed that this fic now has a fixed set of chapters. That's right, folks. There's going to be a total of 34 chapters. I've got one more chapter planned and then I'm going to give you guys as epilogue because I think you guys deserve it after everything I've put you through...and our boys deserve it too.  
> Anyway, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	33. Indescribable Endings

Lance ignored all of the stares that were thrown his way as he made his way through the police station. He pretended not to hear the disgruntled sounds of night officers and citizens alike when he pushed past them. His mind was only focused on one thing which was waiting for him just outside the station.

 

Lance pushed the glass doors to the front of the station open with probably more force than was necessary but he couldn’t help it. He felt like his body was charged with electricity after sitting in that interrogation room for the last who-knows-how-many hours. He was greeted by the cool night air that sent a shiver up his spine but he didn’t care when he saw who was waiting for him.

 

Matt, Pidge, Hunk, and Keith all stood in a small group just outside the station, each of their faces lighting up when they spotted Lance. For a moment the entire world seemed to stop, allowing Lance to take in the sight in front of him. He could hardly believe that Pidge and Hunk were standing in the cold waiting for him. He was sure they would’ve jumped for joy when they heard that Lance had been arrested. But there they were, smiling at him like nothing had even happened. Lance thought he might cry from that alone.

 

And then there was Keith with the softest of smiles on his face. He was still wearing Lance’s jacket, hands currently tucked in the pockets for warmth. He looked rough, his exhaustion evident in the way he slouched slightly and the bags under his eyes. Despite that though, there was the most profound look of relief on his face as his eyes met Lance’s.

 

Lance didn’t care that his friends were watching or that Matt was probably going to make fun of him for this. He pushed his legs forward, closing the distance between himself and Keith as quickly as possible. Keith only had time to take his hands out of his pockets before Lance had reached him, crashing into him with the full force of his body and causing Keith to stumble back a few steps to keep his balance. Lance wrapped his arms around Keith’s neck and buried his face into his shoulder.

 

Somewhere behind him he heard someone quietly say, “Please tell me you got that on camera.”

 

“What do you think I am? An amerature? Of course I did.”

 

Lance tuned out the conversation, instead focusing on the feeling of Keith’s arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer. He could feel the rapid beat of Keith’s heart in synch with his own as he found comfort in Keith’s embrace. Neither Lance or Keith said anything, not needing words to communicate exactly what they were feeling.

 

After another few moments Lance lifted his head, pulling away from Keith just enough to see his face. Closer now, he could see the redness of Keith’s eyes and the lingering swelling that could only come from one thing.

 

“Have you been crying?” Lance asked softly, raising a hand and brushing his thumb underneath one of Keith’s eyes. Keith didn’t answer, instead he just averted his gaze from Lance’s, his face growing red from the embarrassment. “Keith?”

 

“Give the guy a break.” Matt said lightly. “He’s been through a lot.”

 

“I wasn’t-” Lance started but was cut off.

 

“I know.” Matt said, giving him a fond smile. “I’m going to head inside and talk to Shiro. Come get me when you want a ride home.” And with a lazy wave Matt headed through the glass doors that Lance had just come through.

 

“We should head inside too.” Pidge said. “It’s freezing out here.”

 

“Wait!” Lance said, releasing Keith and taking a half step towards his two friends. He felt his throat close up, almost too scared to ask. “Does this mean…?”

 

“Ya know what, buddy?” Hunk replied to the unfinished question. “You’ve been through a lot. Why don’t we talk about it tomorrow?” Lance managed to nod in response, words failing him. He was given two more waves as Pidge and Hunk proceeded into the station.

 

Keith and Lance were left alone standing in front of the station. Lance turned back to Keith, a million questions buzzing in his mind.

 

“How’d you do it? I was sure I was going to jail.” Lance asked.

 

“It wasn’t really me.” Keith replied his voice coming out slightly shaky. “Shiro told me to talk to Lotor and Pidge and Hunk found out where he lived and Matt was the one who got him to rescind his statement. I was kinda just along for the ride.”

 

“That’s not what Shiro said.” Lance said gently. “He said it was all you.”

 

Keith shook his head. “I really didn’t do anything.”

 

“Bullshit.” Lance replied defiantly, crossing his arms over his chest in an act of stubbornness. “ _You_ were the one to ask for Pidge and Hunk’s help and I’m guessing _you_ were the one to convince Matt to talk to Lotor. That doesn’t sound like you were just along for the ride. It sounds like I would still be handcuffed to a table if it weren’t for you.” Keith didn’t respond so Lance pressed on. “You faced Lotor for me. Even after everything I’ve told you about him. That’s _not_ nothing.”

 

“I could go the rest of my life without ever seeing him again…” Keith said, his voice quiet.

 

“You and me both.” Lance admitted. He took a step closer to Keith, grabbing one of Keith’s hands and holding it between his own. “Keith, I owe you so much.” He said quietly, his voice barely a whisper.

 

“You would’ve done the same for me.” Keith replied, his eyes locked on his hand clutched between Lance’s.

 

“Not just for tonight.” Lance said. “For everything. I would still be wallowing in self pity if it weren’t for you. I mean, look where I am now? I got my friends back and...I’ve got you.” Never in a million years did Lance think he would ever say anything as cheesy as that but he meant every word of it. Keith had been there for him when he didn’t have anyone. He’d stuck with Lance despite what Lance had done and he was still here now. Keith meant more to Lance than he could ever vocalize but somehow he had a feeling that Keith knew that.

 

“I was so scared…” Keith said, raising his eyes to meet Lance’s. “I didn’t know what was going to happen to you or when I was going to see you again and I just…” Keith paused, swallowing hard. “I just knew that I couldn’t lose you. I’ve been alone before, Lance, and I couldn’t go back to that. Not after meeting you.”

 

Lance let go of Keith’s hand, instead using one to brush the hair out of Keith’s eyes and the other to cup the side of his face. “I promise,” Lance said in a low, tender voice. “That I’m not going anywhere.”

 

There was a beat of silence before Keith leaned upward, pressing his lips softly against Lance’s. Sparks danced in Lance’s mind as he reveled in the sweet taste of Keith. In that moment Lance knew he’d have no trouble keeping his promise. A life without Keith was an impossibility at this point.

 

“Hey lovebirds!” Lance heard Pidge call, breaking their perfect moment. He felt Keith abruptly pull away from him and suddenly Lance found he was very cold. “Shiro says to get inside before you get hypothermia!”

 

“We’ll be right there!” Lance called back. Pidge just shot him a thumbs up before disappearing back inside. Lance turned back to Keith. “Shall we go?”

 

“Might as well.” Keith replied. “Just be ready to get the third degree from Shiro. He can be...like a dad sometimes.”

 

“Oh, believe me.” Lance said, shuddering. “I already know what that feels like.”

 

Keith just gave him a sheepish smile before taking his hand and leading him back towards the station.

 

\-----

 

Keith blinked awake to a stream of light filtering in through the window and landing perfectly on his face. Not the best way to wake up, that was for sure. He glanced around the room, confused for a second when he realized it looked nothing like his own.

 

“Oh, right…” Keith said, his memory coming back to him. He turned his head towards the source of heat on his left side, not at all surprised to see Lance curled up against him.

 

Lance had been a little clingy last night, probably still dealing with the trauma of being arrested, and insisted that Keith stay the night. Keith had no real objections and in fact was more than willing to stay. He had just gotten Lance back. He wasn’t quite ready to let him go yet.

 

Keith didn’t move for a few minutes, preferring to take in the sight of a sleeping Lance. He would never be able to understand how he had gotten so lucky. What were the odds that Lance had picked his name? Astronomical, Keith was sure. But he had and even though Keith still didn’t know how the letters had gotten to him, he was so glad they did.

 

Keith let Lance sleep for a few more minutes before finally nudging his shoulder, attempting to wake him. It took a solid seven tries and Keith giving up and deciding to just hit him on the side of the head for Lance’s eyes to finally flutter open.

 

“Mornin’...” Lance said after a yawn. “What time is it?”

 

“No idea.” Keith replied, not really wanting to attempt to look for his phone in the tangled mess of sheets on Lance’s bed. “But I think it’s time we go meet Pidge and Hunk. We did promise to hang out with them today.”

 

Keith had never seen someone shoot up as quickly as Lance did and he would’ve been lying if he didn’t say it scared him a little.

 

“Holy shit!” Lance said, excitement filling his voice. “We’re going to meet Pidge and Hunk! Keith! We’re _going_ to _meet_ Pidge and Hunk!”

 

“I know. I just said that.” Keith said, giving Lance an amused smirk.

 

“Well get up then!” Lance said, practically pushing Keith off the bed. “We need to get moving!”

 

Keith did as he was told and in less than a half an hour Keith had texted Pidge and Hunk from Lance’s phone to see if they were ready to meet up, gotten dressed in the spare clothing he had picked up from his apartment the night before, and then been dragged out of Lance’s dorm room. In all honesty, he’d never seen Lance so excited about something. It started to dawn on Keith just how much Lance had missed his friends.

 

When they arrived at the cafe, Keith’s arm feeling like it was going to fall off from Lance’s continuous tugging, they spotted Pidge and Hunk already seated at one of the tables. Lance didn’t hesitate to pull Keith over to the table. He would be surprised if he didn’t have a dislocated shoulder at this point.

 

“Hey guys.” Pidge said as they sat down at their table. “Fancy meeting you here.”

 

“Well, there’s really only one good place to go for coffee.” Lance replied smugly.

 

“Not to mention the pastries.” Hunk chimed in. “Coran’s are second to none.”

 

Keith didn’t say anything, letting Lance have this moment to reconnect with his friends, something Keith was sure he’d been wishing for for a long time.

 

“So listen…” Lance said, his face turning serious. “I really owe you guys an apology.”

 

“Save it.” Pidge said. “We don’t need it.”

 

“You don’t?” Lance asked.

 

Hunk shook his head. “Nah. Pidge and I talked it over and we decided that all we really want is for things to go back to normal.”

 

“Seriously? You guys want that?” Lance asked, his voice slightly emotional.

 

“Yeah.” Pidge answered with a smile aimed in Lance’s direction. “We kinda missed having a goof ball around.”

 

Keith could practically feel the joy radiating off of Lance as he leaned over and whispered into Keith’s ear. “That’s me! I’m the goofball!”

 

“I know.” Keith whispered back, rolling his eyes at Lance’s antics.

 

“Wait!” Lance said, addressing Hunk. “Does this mean you’ll move back in? I’ve kinda missed having a roommate.”

 

“If it’s alright with Pidge…” Hunk said, shifting his gaze to the smallest member of their group.

 

“That’s more than okay.” Pidge replied. “I love ya, Hunk, but I miss having my own space.”

 

“Fair enough.” Hunk said with a laugh. “Yeah, I’ll move back in today if you want.”

 

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Lance practically shouted, almost jumping out of his seat. “That would be perfect!”

 

“You better shut up before Allura kicks us out.” Pidge said in a flat voice. “And if my coffee source gets cut off I really won’t forgive you.”

 

The entire group laughed at that, setting the pace for what Keith was sure to be an interesting conversation.

 

The four of them talked for a few more hours. It was mostly Pidge and Hunk telling Keith funny stories about Lance and Lance hiding his face in Keith’s arm during the truly embarrassing parts. But eventually Pidge and Hunk said their goodbyes, saying that they needed to start getting Hunk all packed up for the move later that night. Now it was just him and Lance. Lance had moved to the other side of the table so he was facing Keith.

 

“We’re back where it all started, ya know?” Lance said after taking a sip of his coffee.

 

“Seems that way.” Keith replied, glancing around the small cafe. “Back when you asked me why I hated you.”

 

“In fairness, I really thought you did.” Lance said with a small laugh. “I guess we really never did figure out why this all happened. Like with the letters and drawings and stuff.”

 

“I guess not.” Keith said, a little disappointed.

 

“Although…” Lance said, looking like he was deep in thought. “Everything seems to lead back to here.”

 

“Ya think?” Keith asked curiously.

 

“Yeah, I mean just think about it. You are related to Shiro who is dating Allura and I have been coming to this place like everyday for over a year. If you think about it, it’s a miracle that we didn’t cross paths sooner. Not to mention the fact that the first place we talked was here and this is where I found out who you really were...yeah, this place? This place is special.” Lance replied.

 

“So what? You think your letters and my drawings have something to do with this cafe?” Keith asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Maybe...I mean maybe there’s some weird magic in the air or we ingested…” Lance trailed off, his eyes falling to the cup of coffee in his hand.

 

It only took Keith a moment to catch up to Lance. “You don’t think…”

 

“I...I don’t know.” Lance said.

 

The two just stared at their respective cups of coffee for a moment before Lance spun in his seat and said, “Hey Allura!”

 

Allura looked up from the machine she was cleaning at the sound of her own name. “Yeah?”

 

“What’s in your coffee?”

 

“Oh, just the normal stuff. Coffee beans, a hint of espresso, stuff like that...oh, and also my secret ingredient.” She replied casually.

 

“What’s the secret ingredient?” Keith asked.

 

Allura smiled at them before saying. “Now if I told you that, it wouldn’t be secret.” Then she gave them a little wink before turning back towards her task.

 

Lance turned back around, giving Keith a shocked expression. They looked at each other for another moment or so before they both shrugged and took another sip of their coffees.

 

And for some reason, Keith thought his tasted better than it had just moments ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!  
> This chapter ended up being a lot longer than I thought it was going to be. It's all good, though.  
> Guys...my heart hurts. I only get to write one more part to this fic and that's soul crushing. I've had so much fun writing this mostly because of the reactions I've gotten from you guys. So many of you love this fic and that means a lot to me, truly.  
> But hey! We still got an epilogue coming so no need to feel super sad yet! Let's finish this thing out strong, shall we?  
> As always, any and all feedback you are willing and able to give is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I'll see ya next time!
> 
> ~Redjay


	34. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So before we finish this out I would just like to say that I truly am grateful to everyone who read this story. I never thought it would get as popular as it did but I'm so glad that I got to share this with so many of you. Every single kudos, comment, or piece of art that was sent my way made my last few months amazing. And yes, I'm extremely sad this is ending but I know that all good things must come to an end so I'm going to try to give it the best one I possibly can. I truly hope that you love it.  
> And with that, let's finish this where we started...
> 
> ~Redjay

“Lance, we don’t have time for this! We’re going to be late.” Keith said for the third time as they approached the cafe.

 

“You’re the best man.” Lance said with a dismissive wave. “They won’t start without you.”

 

“Yeah, but something tells me Shiro won’t be super thrilled about me being late.” Keith replied flatly.

 

“You worry too much.”

 

“You don’t worry enough.”

 

Lance only shrugged in response before stopping in front of the entrance. The cafe was closed today, all of the employees attending Shiro and Allura’s wedding.

 

“What are we even doing here?” Keith asked.

 

Lance turned to lean against the door to the cafe, shooting Keith with a mischievous smile. “Patience. You’ll see soon enough.”

 

Keith rolled his eyes at Lance’s dramatics. “You’re unbelievable.”

 

“I know but I’m pretty sure you love it.” Lance replied.

 

Keith knew he wasn’t wrong. He did love it. That and everything else about Lance. It had been three years since Keith had first talked to Lance in the same cafe they were standing outside of now. Three years since Lance had almost been convicted of a crime he definitely committed. Three years since he had completely and utterly fallen for Lance. And those three years had been the most amazing years of his life.

 

It wasn’t all easy, that was for sure. They had their hard times just like anyone else. Like when Lance had decided to join a research lab so he could get into grad school. Days would go by where Keith wouldn’t see him after that, and Keith would’ve been lying if he said that he wasn’t bothered by that. Or when Keith had spent the summer in Italy on an exchange program. He never knew that his greatest enemy was going to be time zones. But they had made it through those times and had come out the other side better than before.

 

Keith had found a home in Lance. Something that he could always come back to. And sure, sometimes things would change but Lance would always be there. He had promised after all and so far he hadn’t let Keith down. Even now as they stood outside the cafe that had started it all, late to Shiro and Allura’s wedding, Keith felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

 

“So are you going to tell me what you’re hiding in there or no?” Keith asked, crossing his arms in hopes that it would convince Lance to speed up this little side trip.

 

“Yes!” Lance said, a smile lighting up his face. “But first, there’s uh…” Lance paused, seeming to collect his thoughts for a moment. “There’s something I need to say.”

 

It didn’t escape Keith the way Lance’s face fell into a more serious expression, and Keith felt his own shoulders tense up. It wasn’t often that Lance was this serious. “Lance?” Keith asked almost hesitantly. “Is something wrong?”

 

“What?” Lance said, looking at Keith with a startled expression. “No! Everything’s fine. I promise.”

 

“Then what is it?” Keith asked curiously.

 

Lance took a deep breath before saying, “About three years ago I wrote a letter to no one and about three years ago I received a drawing that told me I wasn’t, in fact, writing to no one. There was no way I could’ve known that the person on the other side of that drawing was someone as amazing as you.”

 

Lance’s voice was quiet but his gaze never left Keith’s. He pushed himself off the door and took a step closer to Keith. Keith could hear his own breathing catch at Lance’s words. It wasn’t unusual for Lance to make romantic gestures but they were often accompanied by his usual goofiness. The seriousness in Lance’s voice now was something new.

 

“And there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t thank whatever higher power there is that it was your name I picked. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for you. And so…” Lance paused, a gentle smile forming on his face which caused Keith’s heart to seize. It didn’t matter how many days he spent with Lance, he would never stop being completely blown away by the man currently standing in front of him. “Since the cafe was closed today, I asked Allura if I could...borrow it.”

 

“Borrow it?” Keith asked.

 

“Yeah, kinda. You’ll see in a sec. This place…” Lance said, glancing over his shoulder at the building behind him. “Well, it’s important and so I thought there was really no where else I would want to do this.”

 

“Do what?” Keith could practically hear his heart pounding against his chest.

 

“Just...look.” Lance said, standing aside.

 

Keith gave him a curious glance before stepping forward and pushing the door open. He heard the familiar tingle of the bell as he walked into the dark cafe. Usually the light from outside would be filtering in through the large windows but Keith noticed that someone, probably Lance, had made sure that the curtains were drawn, blocking any chance Keith had at seeing through the darkness. He took a few steps into the room, not daring to go any further for fear of running into something. He was about to turn back around and ask Lance what was going on when light suddenly filled his vision. Keith blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the dim lights that were now illuminating the room.

 

Strings of lights covered the walls of the cafe and hung from the ceiling, each glowing a dull yellow color that gave the room an almost serene feeling. That wasn’t what caught Keith’s attention though. Mixed with the lights that hung around the room were things that Keith hadn’t seen in a long time. He recognized his work and felt a feeling of nostalgia flow through him as he shifted his eyes from drawing to drawing, most of them of Lance. He could see each scene suspended among the lights, telling a different part of Lance’s story. He saw the moment Lance had first met Lotor and the moment where Lance had hid behind the door to escape the janitor. He relived the moment where Lance had decided to steal Rover and saw Lance kneeling on the ground as his friends walked away from him. He saw those moments and so many more, each one drawn by Keith himself.

 

But there was still more. Alongside the lights and the drawings there hung each letter Lance had written, his handwriting more familiar to Keith than anyone else’s. As he scanned the letters, his eyes kept falling back to two little words. Words that he had read so many times. Words that had a meaning all their own.

 

_Dear Keith,_

_Where to start? I guess I’ll just try to explain as best I can. To put it simply, you don’t know me._

 

_Dear Keith,_

_I realize the only thing you know about me is what I’ve written in these letters so you may find it hard to believe that I can get a little overexcited sometimes…_

 

_Dear Keith,_

_I think part of me knew that someone was reading my letters. I mean, the drawings were a bit of a giveaway I guess._

 

_Dear Keith,_

_The story is almost over and my only hope is that by the end I’ll have figured out a way to fix everything._

 

_Dear Keith,_

_There’s not much for me to say at this point. I’ll save it all for the end._

 

_Dear Keith_

 

_Dear Keith_

 

_Dear Keith_

 

But then Keith noticed something different. Something he didn’t recognize.

 

_Dear Keith,_

_What can I say that hasn’t already been said?_

 

That was new. Keith had no memory of reading those words before. He made his way slowly over to the string of lights where the new letter hung, reaching up and detaching it.

 

_Dear Keith,_

_What can I say that hasn’t already been said? Anything that I could say in this letter I’m sure I’ve already said a hundred times before. But it’s important for you to know a couple of things so forgive me if this is repetitive._

_These last three years have been a blur. But in a good way. It’s like my life has been constantly flashing before my eyes and I almost can’t believe it’s my life I’m looking at. And when I look towards my future, all I can see is you. I don’t see the house I might live in one day or the job I could have. All I see is you._

_And I know that things are going to get difficult. I know that with me being in grad school and you trying to open your own gallery our lives are going get complicated and we haven’t been great when it comes to complicated but…_

_Look around this room. This is the start. This is where we began and nothing could be more complicated than that. So...I think when it comes down to it, there’s nothing that we can’t handle._

_And before you freak out and start thinking that I’m asking the big question just know that I’m not. I wouldn’t do that to you. I like to think I know you better than that at this point._

_But I do have a question to ask you. -Lance_

 

Keith’s hands were shaking as he finished the letter, causing it to fall from his grasp. He could feel a nervous churning in his stomach and a warm feeling in his chest. It took him a few moments of deep breathing until he was able to turn around and face Lance.

 

The expression on Lance’s face could only be described as loving. He looked far more relaxed than Keith was. Lance had always been better at this stuff than Keith.

 

“What’s your question?” Keith somehow managed to ask, his voice coming out low and slightly strained.

 

Lance didn’t respond right away, instead closing the short distance between him and Keith. Keith looked up at Lance’s face, his familiar blue eyes piercing into Keith’s very being and shaking him to his core.

 

“Keith, I don’t know a lot of things but there’s one thing that I know for sure...and it’s that I love you.” Lance paused, giving Keith a chance to process. “So…” Lance said, pulling something from his pocket. He held up a small black velvet box, offering it to Keith.

 

Keith hesitated for only a moment before taking the box from Lance’s hand. He glanced up at Lance one more time before slowly opening the box. Keith could feel the blood rushing through his head and his lungs contract from the nerves he was feeling.

 

Inside the box, set gently on top of the dark satin, was a silver key.

 

“Will you move in with me?”

 

It was like Keith’s world exploded with a million different lights and sounds as he stared at the small key. He couldn’t form an answer, his voice lost amongst the chaos of his mind. He pulled his eyes away from the key to look at Lance whose face was slightly flushed but still soft.

 

“Please?” Lance asked in the smallest of voices.

 

Keith didn’t say anything, the words he needed still lodged in his throat. He just nodded, the movement slow and small, but it was enough of an answer for Lance.

 

“Really?” Lance said, a surprised laugh escaping from his mouth.

 

“Yes, really.” Keith replied, finally finding his voice. “I just can’t believe it took you this long to ask.”

 

“Hey!” Lance said, defensively. “I wanted to do it right!”

 

Keith laughed at that, a bubbly feeling rising up in him, making him feel light. “No, you’re right. It was perfect. You’re perfect...I love you...”

 

Another small smile touched Lance’s lips and it was only another moment before he pulled Keith close and captured his mouth. Everything in Keith’s world was falling into place, and although he knew there was still a lot he had to figure out, he knew he could do it with Lance at his side.

 

“We should really get going…” Keith said after he had reluctantly pulled away from Lance. “Shiro’s probably having a stroke right about now.”

 

“Yeah,” Lance said with a sigh, looking around the room. “You’re probably right. We should go.”

 

“And afterwards.” Keith said with a smirk on his face. “We can go home.”

 

“Home, huh? Our home. I like the sound of that.” Lance said, his mood lifting. Lance took Keith’s hand and led him from the small cafe.

 

Keith turned back one last time as he exited to look at all the drawings and letters still hung around the room, illuminated by the softly twinkling lights. Part of Keith felt like he was starting a new chapter of his life as he walked out of that cafe. He knew it wouldn’t be the last time he visited it, but the next time he walked through the door it would be different. He would be different.

 

It wasn’t like Keith would forget what started it all. No, he didn’t think he would ever forget what got him to where he was now; the two words that would forever be the thing that glued him and Lance together.

 

_Dear Keith_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! (I know I did)  
> I think it's time for some self-promo. Let's go:  
> If you liked my style of writing and want to read some more of my stuff, have no fear. I've got lots of stuff for you to explore.  
> 1) I currently have four Klance one-shots out: Seventh Wheel, You are my Sunshine, While You Were Gone, and Do I Even Make a Sound. I worked hard on them and I think they're pretty good. Feel free to read them and give them some love.  
> 2) I have another completed chaptered Klance fic called Stranded and oh boy is that one a fun read. If savage Pidge and science fiction is your thing, you should check it out. I've been told it's pretty good.  
> 3) And lastly, I have another on-going Klance fic right now called Trading Places. It's a body swap AU with some new twists. I think the best way to describe it is organized chaos...so yeah, you should check it out.  
> Of course, you can find all of these fic by clicking on my profile. Please check them out at your own leisure and then let me know what you think of them.  
> Any other fan art for this fic that is sent my way I will (with permission) be posting on tumblr so if you want to see any of it make sure to follow me @canyoufeelthelagnsttonight  
> I think that about wraps up that stuff...  
> Just a final thank you to everyone who has supported this work. I truly cannot thank you enough.  
> As always, any and all feedback you are able and willing to give whether it be on this epilogue or on the fic as a whole is greatly appreciated.  
> Stay safe and I hope to see ya around!
> 
> ~Redjay


End file.
